Introduction Weight loss is a predictor of poorer outcomes in patients undergoing OG cancer surgery. Patients present with weight loss and difficulties with eating and drinking. The majority will receive neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) which may further impact on nutritional status. This study looks at the effect of weight loss on postoperative hospital length of stay (LOS) in patients undergoing Oesophagectomy/TG for OG cancer.

Method A retrospective observational study was carried out on 74 patients who underwent Oesophagectomy/TG for OG cancer at GSTFT in 2014. Data on preoperative weight loss, NAC and postoperative LOS was collated. Weight loss was assessed by comparing weight at diagnosis to weight on the day before surgery. For patients who were weight stable/gain, further assessment of weight loss during NAC was undertaken.

Results Two patients died in hospital and were excluded. Two patients did not have any information available of preoperative weight changes and so were also excluded.

Table 1apresents the demographics and descriptive statistics (using Microsoft Xcel) of results for the total study population (n = 7). Table 1bdisplays the demographics and descriptive statistics for the subgroup of patients who were weight stable/gain overall preoperatively. Patients who are weight stable throughout chemotherapy have a shorter median LOS than those who lose weight and regain it.

Conclusion Patients who lose weight before surgery are likely to stay in hospital for longer afterwards. The results of this study support the need for preoperative nutritional optimisation in this patient population. The subgroup analysis, although a small sample size, supports a proactive rather than reactive approach to this. In many centres, Dietitian referral relies on the presence of weight loss or nutritional problems. Further studies are required to elucidate optimal preoperative nutritional interventions to improve treatment and patient reported outcomes.

Disclosure of interest None Declared.