Gastric cancer in young patients: Prognostics factors and therapeutic results

Abstract

Introduction: Gastric cancers occurring in young subjects are rare. Their anatomo-clinical characteristics and their evolution are poorly understood and the therapeutic results in this situation remain controversial. Gastric cancers occurring in young subjects are rare. Their anatomo-clinical characteristics and their evolution are poorly understood and the therapeutic results in this situation remain controversial. Methods: During the period from January 2010 to December 2016, a series of 355 patients were admitted to the department of medical oncology of HASSAN II university hospital of Fes for the treatment of gastric cancer. Of these, 80 were aged 45 or younger. The aim of this study was to identify the clinical, pathological characteristics and prognosis of gastric cancer in young patients. Results: The average age of patients was 39 years (range: 25-45 years). The male/female ratio was 1,1. Familial history of gastric cancer was fond in ten patients. Fifty-eight patients (72.5%) were stage III or IV of the disease, while twenty-two patients. 73% of cases in the series had a slightly differentiated tumor. Curative resection was performed in 26 patients. Perioperative chemotherapy was performed in 10 cases (32,2%), adjuvant radio-chemotherapy in 8 cases (25,8%) and adjuvant chemotherapy was performed in 13 cases (41,93%). 54% were still alive after a median follow-up period of 3 years. In the palliative situation, chemotherapies were administered in forty-nine patients (61%) based on the protocol ECX. Response rate was 37%. In these patients, median survival was 6 months (range 3-14 months). Conclusion: The clinical and pathological features of the patients in our study seem to be consistent with an aggressive disease with a predominance of advanced disease and undifferentiated subtype. In addition, according to our study the prognosis of stomach cancer in young patients appear to be poorer than older patients.