Unraveling of the contributing factor for improving postoperative nutritional status in patients with gastric cancer

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K20154
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 59040:Nutrition science and health science-related
• Research Institution: Prefectural University of Hiroshima
• Principal Investigator: Okada Genya 県立広島大学, 地域創生学部, 助教 (40778768)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 周術期栄養 / 臨床栄養 / 腸内細菌叢

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The aim of the study was to identify a new relationship between nutrition and the gut microbiota from the perspective of improving nutrition. In this study, a preoperative to long-term postoperative observational study was conducted to evaluate changes in nutritional status and changes in the gut microbiota over time during the perioperative period. Subject enrolment and the execution of the study protocol were hampered by the COVID-19 infection. As a result, the gut microbiota continued to change up to the sixth postoperative month as a result of the post gastrectomy, as assessed at the phylum level. This suggests that surgery may have reduced the proportion of the most dominant bacterial species in healthy subjects due to mechanical changes in the gastrointestinal tract caused by gastrectomy, reduced gastric acid secretion capacity and the effects of postoperative diet, while bacteria that were only marginally present preoperatively may have increased their proportion.

Free Research Field

臨床栄養学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

上部消化管癌の手術患者に生じる術後栄養状態の悪化と腸内細菌叢との関連は十分に明らかになっておらず，腸内細菌叢をターゲットとした栄養療法の開発は新たな治療戦略となる可能性がある。本研究成果を基にさらに症例数を重ねることで属や種レベルでの胃切除手術による腸内細菌叢の変化を解明する可能性がある。今後、代謝変化に関わる新たな菌種の発見することができれば、痩せや肥満といった栄養学上の問題を抱える多くの疾患や一般の健康管理に応用可能であり、オーダーメイド型栄養療法の開発に展開できる。