Clinicopathologic features of early-onset (EO) esophageal and gastric cancers.

Abstract

472 Background: The rates of gastric (GC) and esophageal adenocarcinoma (EA) among individuals younger than age 50 years have increased by 30% and 50%, respectively, over the past three decades in the US. There is limited information on incidence and demographics for EO esophageal and gastric cancer in Europe. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of the prospectively maintained upper gastrointestinal (UGI) cancer database in St James’s Hospital (SJH), the National Centre for Oesophageal and Gastric Cancer in Ireland. We reviewed all cases diagnosed with esophageal cancer (EC) and gastric cancer (GC) less than or equal to 50 years of age from 2000 to 2021. Results: From 2000 to 2021, 374 EO EA & GC cases were identified, 8% of the 4663 total EC & GC cases. The results are presented in the table. Conclusions: The major presenting symptoms for EO-UGI cancer were dysphagia, weight loss and dyspepsia, further investigation is warranted in young patients presenting with these symptoms, even in the absence of elevated BMI or other known risk factors for malignancy. A high proportion have advanced disease at diagnosis despite good PS and clinical outcomes are poor. There is a critical need to understand the pathogenesis of EO-UGI cancers to determine optimal strategies for prevention and management.[Table: see text]