Objective:

to identify the symptoms and the performance status in patients with gastric cancer, who have undergone a gastrectomy and the influence of the symptom groups on their performance status.

Methods:

240 patients with gastric cancer where included, who had been practiced gastrectomy with some time longer than 30 days after the oncologic surgery, and even 48 months in two centers in Bogotá, Colombia. A structured instrument, which measures symptoms and Karnofsky’s scale were used.

Results:

5 clusters of symptoms were identified: Physical complaints associated with treatment of gastric cancer; emotional suffering in relation to self; physical complaints-independence and energy; emotional suffering in relation to others; physical complaints that particularly affect the identity. Two of the five clusters have influenced the performance status.

Conclusion:

this study contributes to the need of creating assistance in hospital staying and leaving in adult patients with gastric cancer, who have gone gastrectomy, which includes as the central focus the assessment and intervention of emotional and physical symptoms.