An assessment of feeding jejunostomy tube placement at the time of resection for gastric adenocarcinoma: A seven-institution analysis of 837 patients from the U.S. gastric cancer collaborative

Background Jejunostomy feeding tubes (J-tubes) are often placed during resection for gastric adenocarcinoma (GAC). Their effect on postoperative complications and receipt of adjuvant therapy is unclear. Methods Patients who underwent curative-intent resection of GAC at seven institutions of the U.S. Gastric Cancer Collaborative from 2000 to 2012 were identified. The associations of J-tubes with postoperative complications and receipt of adjuvant therapy were determined. Results Of 837 patients, 265 (32%) received a J-tube. Patients receiving J-tubes demonstrated greater incidence of preoperative weight loss, lower BMI, greater extent of resection, and more advanced TNM stage. J-tube placement was associated with increased infectious complications (36% vs. 19%; P<0.001), including surgical-site (14% vs. 6%; P<0.001) and deep intra-abdominal (11% vs. 4%; P<0.001) infections. On multivariate analysis, J-tubes remained independently associated with increased risk of infectious complications (all: HR=1.93; P=0.001; surgical-site: HR=2.85; P=0.001; deep intra-abdominal: HR=2.13; P=0.04). J-tubes were not associated with increased receipt of adjuvant therapy (HR=0.82; P=0.34). Subset analyses of patients undergoing total and subtotal gastrectomy similarly demonstrated an association of J-tubes with increased risk of infectious outcomes and no association with increased receipt of adjuvant therapy. Conclusions J-tube placement after resection of gastric adenocarcinoma is associated with increased postoperative infectious outcomes and is not associated with increased receipt of adjuvant therapy. Selective use of J-tubes is recommended. J. Surg. Oncol. 2015 111:195-202.