Clinicopathological characteristics of gastric carcinoma in young and elderly patients: A comparative study

Background: Gastric cancer is one of the most common gastrointestinal malig nancies worldwide, Some studies have suggested that it has a worse prognosi s in young than in elderly patients. Methods: All young and elderly patients treated for gastric adenocarcinoma during the period 1988 to 1994 in a ternary referral center in Mexico City were included. Demographic, clinical, and pathologic features of young pati ents (less than 40 years of age) with gastric cancer were compared with tho se of elderly patients (70 years of age or older) with the same diagnosis. Overall survival was the main outcome measure. Results: There were 38 patients in each group. The mean age of the young an d elderly groups was 33 and 77 years, respectively. Family history of gastr ic cancer was reported by 6 patients of the younger group and by 1 patient in the older group (P < .05). Most patients in both groups were symptomatic and had an advanced stage of the disease. With a mean follow-up of 17 mont hs, the overall median survival for all patients was 12 months. By group, t he median survival was 13 and 12 months for the young and elderly patients, respectively (P = .38). Variables with significant impact on survival were the stage of the disease, possibility of surgical resection, location of t he tumor, and a family history of gastric cancer. Conclusions: Young patients represent a significant proportion of patients with gastric cancer in Hispanic populations. There were no significant diff erences in clinicopathological characteristics and outcome of gastric adeno carcinoma between young and elderly patients. Survival was determined by th e stage of the tumor and the possibility of complete surgical resection.