EPIDEMIOLOGY AND PROGNOSIS OF EARLY GASTR IC-CANCER IN THE AREA OF CALVADOS (FRANCE) - 1978-1990

Aims of the study. - The 5-year survival rate of gastric cancer is les s than 20 % in cancer registries. The prognosis of early gastric cance r is much better but this diagnosis is rare in Europe. The aim of the study was to evaluate the prognosis and trends in the incidence of ear ly gastric cancer in the area of Calvados (France) during a 13-year pe riod. Methods. - Between 1978 and 1990 the Digestive Cancer Registry o f Calvados recorded 1 160 new cases of gastric cancer The diagnosis of early gastric cancer was defined according to the Japanese Gastroente rological Society criteria. prognostic factors were determined with un ivariate and multivariate analysis. Results. - One hundred patients ha d early gastric cancer (8.6 %). This rate did not change significantly during the period The mean age,ras 64.2 +/- 1.5 in males and 64.8 +/- 2.2 in females and 39% of patients were older than 70. A precancerous condition was present in 56 % of cases on the surgical specimen. A to tal gastrectomy was performed in 23 % of cases and a subtotal gastrect omy in 72 % of cases. The postoperative mortality was 5 % and the 5-ye ar relative survival was 86.8 % +/- 4.6. Univariate and multivariate a nalysis found a better prognosis irt patients younger than 75 or in pa tients with a superficial Or excavatated gross appearance compared wit h those older than 75 or with a protruded type. Lymph node metastasis, depth of invasion, size of the tumor and histologic differentiation d id not influence significantly the outcome. Conclusion. - According to the data of the Cancer Registry of: Calvados the proportion of Early Gastric Cancer was low and did not change between 1978 and 1990. The p rognosis of EGC is good, mainly altered in elderly and irt cases with a protruded type.