The Value of the Albumin–Myosteatosis Gauge in Predicting the Postoperative Outcomes of Non-Metastatic Gastric Cancer

Background: The potential synergistic prognostic value of myosteatosis and albumin levels in patients with gastric cancer (GC) remains to be elucidated. This study evaluates the value of the albumin–myosteatosis gauge (AMG) and Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) score in predicting postoperative complications and survival in patients who have undergone radical resection for GC. Methods: The present study enrolled patients diagnosed with stage I–III GC who underwent subtotal or total gastrectomy. Skeletal muscle area (SMA) and skeletal muscle density (SMD) were measured at the CT scan closest to the surgical procedure, which was performed for clinical diagnostic purposes. The AMG was defined as SMD × albumin. In this study, patients were divided into specific quartiles according to the AMG and GLIM. A series of analyses was conducted with the objective of identifying the risk factors associated with postoperative outcomes following GC surgery. The construction of a nomogram model for predicting prognosis was undertaken, and calibration curve analysis was utilised. Results: This study demonstrated that AMG is a more reliable predictor of OS than single indicators such as serum albumin and muscle density in patients with non-distant metastatic GC. Furthermore, the combination of AMG and GLIM scores has greater predictive value for GC outcomes and can be used as a novel prognostic scoring index in a GC patient prognostic model reflecting cachexia and malnutrition risk. Conclusions: The construction of a nomogram by our study team constitutes a simplified, reliable and efficient model for the prediction of the prognosis of GC, exhibiting considerable discriminative and calibration abilities.