4. Discussion
cancer, intestinal mucosal injury, tumors
GASTRIC CANCER, PHYSIOLOGICAL STRESS, POSTOPERATIVE COMPLICATIONS, CANCER, CAVITY, TUMORS
Gastric cancer, a predominant digestive system malignancy, frequently emerges with late diagnoses and challenging therapeutic measures in China. Modern therapeutic paradigms underscore a comprehensive treatment anchored in surgical interventions [The intestinal mucosal barrier serves a dual role: it facilitates the transport of nutritional substances from food and simultaneously obstructs detrimental substances within the intestinal cavity. This multifaceted barrier encompasses mechanical, chemical, biological, and immune barriers. The integrity of the intestinal barrier is intrinsically linked to various pathologies, including cancer [DAO, a potent intracellular enzyme abundant within intestinal villi, serves as a barometer for both the integrity of the intestinal mucosa and the extent of its damage. Moreover, a significant correlation exists between plasma DAO and intestinal mucosal DAO, rendering it a reliable marker for intestinal mucosal injury [In line with this, it has been previously elucidated that the degree of intestinal mucosal permeability and barrier damage was closely correlated to postoperative complications [Historical literature indicates that diverse stressors, such as tumors, surgical interventions, chemotherapy, and physiological stress, can compromise the intestinal barrier, culminating in immune dysregulation [The principal constituents of the immunonutrition administered in our investigation comprised fish oil-derived polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and dietary fiber. Extant literature demonstrates that N-3 PUFAs exhibit anti-inflammatory, immunopotentiating, and immune-modulatory effects, chiefly suppressing inflammatory cytokine production [However, our study has several limitations. Being a single-center investigation with a circumscribed sample size, the outcomes warrant validation from larger, multicenter studies. Our follow-up duration was somewhat abbreviated, and the markers assessed were limited. An amplified sample size in future studies may encompass protracted patient monitoring, comprehensive assessment of a broader array of immunological and inflammatory markers, and meticulous scrutiny of nutritional status improvements.