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Copyright: ©Author(s) 2026. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license. No commercial re-use. See permissions. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc.
World J Gastrointest Surg. May 27, 2026; 18(5): 116446
Published online May 27, 2026. doi: 10.4240/wjgs.v18.i5.116446
Letter to the Editor: Rethinking geriatric onco-surgery: A paradigm shift validates enhanced recovery after surgery for elderly gastric cancer patients
Si-Yuan Wang, Bo-Yu Kang, Xiao-Feng Chen
Si-Yuan Wang, Department of General Surgery, The 989th Hospital of the Joint Logistic Support Force of PLA, Luoyang 471031, Henan Province, China
Si-Yuan Wang, Bo-Yu Kang, Department of Digestive Surgery, Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Medical University, Xi’an 710004, Shaanxi Province, China
Bo-Yu Kang, Department of Experiment Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Medical University, Xi’an 710032, Shaanxi Province, China
Xiao-Feng Chen, Department of Emergency Medicine, PLA Air Force Hospital of Eastern Theater Command, Nanjing 210002, Jiangsu Province, China
Co-first authors: Si-Yuan Wang and Bo-Yu Kang.
Author contributions: Wang SY and Kang BY contributed to performed most of the results, completed the manuscript, revise the manuscript together, and they contributed equally to this manuscript and are co-first authors; Chen XF contributed to designed the study. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
AI contribution statement: We solemnly state that no AI tools were used throughout the manuscript writing and revision process. All content was finished independently by the authors.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Corresponding author: Xiao-Feng Chen, MD, PhD, Postdoc, Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, PLA Air Force Hospital of Eastern Theater Command, No. 1 Malu Street, Qinhuai District, Nanjing 210002, Jiangsu Province, China. cxf13372025799@163.com
Received: November 12, 2025
Revised: December 1, 2025
Accepted: January 4, 2026
Published online: May 27, 2026
Processing time: 197 Days and 6.8 Hours
Core Tip

Core Tip: Against the backdrop of the escalating global health burden of gastric cancer in older adults, refining postoperative rehabilitation strategies is crucial for enhancing prognosis and improving quality of life in this population. A retrospective study conducted by Li et al on 161 older gastric cancer patients who underwent Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) provided robust evidence supporting the clinical adoption of ERAS protocols. Additionally, the study offered critical implementation insights into perioperative pathway execution in routine practice. However, the study is constrained by its retrospective, single-center design; future investigations should prioritize multicenter, prospective cohorts to elevate the level of evidence and accelerate clinical translation. Equally important, real-world adherence to ERAS protocols must be rigorously evaluated.

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