Abstract:

 To explore the potential differences in endoscopic and clinicopathological factors between the young and elderly population with gastric cancer(GC). MethodsIn young patients(≤40 years, n=48)  and elderly patients(≥65 years, n=99) with GC，　the clinicopathological findings were compared according to clinical manifestations, gender, hereditary tendency, tumor location， histological type，　growth type,　prevalence of helicobacter pylori，　and survival rates．　ResultsIn the young and elderly groups， the male to female ratio was 1∶1.08 and 3．3∶1, respectively． 15 young patients and 12 elderly patients had a family history of tumors(P＜0.05)． Most tumors were found at the lower part of the stomach in both groups， but the tumors located at the upper part were more common in the elderly group than in the young group (P＜ 0.05）． General type in both groups was Borrmann Ⅲ type, but the sum of the Borrmann Ⅲ type and Ⅳ type was statistically different (P＜0.05). As compared with the elderly patients, young patients had worse differentiation and growth type． Prevalence of helicobacter pylori infection in both groups were not significantly different (P＜0.05). Compared to endoscopy，　Barium Xray had a higher misdiagnosis rate（P＜0.05）.　The 5year survival rate of 11 patients with early GC was100%, and the 1, 3, 5year survival rates of young and elderly patients with advanced GC after radical gastroectomy did not statistically differ (P＞0.05). The median survival time of patients was  not significantly longer in young patients (28.2months 95%CI 19.8～41.3)than elderly (26.7months, 95%CI 21.0～39.8) patients (P＞0.05). ConclusionYoung patients with GC have a more obvious hereditary tendency than elderly patients, but they have a poorer pathological behavior than elderly patients． The prognosis of the young was similar to of the elderly after radical gastroectomy.

Key words: Stomach neoplasms； Pathology； Endoscopy; Helicobacter pylori