I realized that there isn't a research related board on this forum. So thought to create this thread. 

For this first post, I have been curious lately on the postoperative quality of life for sleevers and one cohort that we can be compared to are those who've suffered from stomach canicer and needed partial gastrectomies. 

Systematic review on quality of life outcomes after gastrectomy for gastric carcinoma

Bernard Shan, Leonard Shan, [...], and Akshat Saxena

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4570904/

Our post-op experience is typically more positive than for partial gastrectomies.  We retain the pylorus and have more social support on average.  Most carcinoma gastrectomies don't necessarily retain the pylorus.  Many traditional carcinoma patients also experience true dumping syndrome, because their food hits their intestines immediately and in larger amounts than the average RNY patient.  They experience a severe drop in quality of life, this study reports, where bariatric patients typically report an upswing in quality of life.  They are also on chemotherapy often, which is a confound.  For instance the study says this which contradicts VSG patient positive outcomes:

"Most patients experience a significant decline in overall health, physical and functional domains of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) within the first few months after surgery which is then followed by significant improvements by 1 year. Patients should expect this initial decline in HRQOL in the early post-operative period as a trade-off for longer survival and improved HRQOL in the longer term. The greatest dilemma facing clinicians and patients is whether the prolonged survival is long enough for the patient to pass the initial recovery period and experience the positive HRQOL benefits."

The best journal to read for VSG studies and results is probably SOARD, which is the official journal for the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.  The next good journal is Obesity Surgery, which is published by a company called Springer.  PubMed has some great studies, but many of the current ones are not in general circulation.  I'd suggest using a library to access them.

Thanks Donna! I didn't realize the difference in anatomy between the two groups.

I will check out the journals you've noted and use my sister's university library access. 

Nura, if you are interested in particular topics let me know and I will help you find articles too :)

The typical partial gastrectomy for carcinoma is a close sibling to the RNY, with a pouch formed from the remaining stomach around the esophagus which is then connected downstream of the duodenum which is sealed off where the pyloris used to be; a total gastrectomy is similar with the esophagus joined to the intestine in a similar location, and a small pouch formed with intestinal material. A VSG is a second cousin in comparison. Also, as Donna notes, chemotherapy (and/or radiation) is usually part of the therapy if a gastrectomy is called for. Further, if a gastrectomy, partial or total, is called for, that implies further spread of the cancer which means that the surgery often involves more than just the basic gastrectomy but work on adjacent structures or organs as well.

Combine these factors with the matter that most cancer patients don't have all of the excess weight to lose and it's a real struggle to maintain a healthy weight for the first few months to a year post op, along with the side effects of the additional treatments that are typically necessary that make normal exercise and activities that help with the quality of life difficult, and it's easy to see why they get the results noted in this study. The overall profile of a decline in quality of life for the initial months followed by improvements and a move toward and beyond normalcy is similar to what we typically experience with WLS, our experience tends to be much less severe or extended as they note.