Gastric cancer in young people under 30 years of age: worse prognosis, or delay in diagnosis?

Horacio Noé López-Basave,1 Flavia Morales-Vásquez,2 Juan Manuel Ruiz-Molina,1 Silvio A amendys-Silva,2 Itzel Vela-Sarmiento,1 Javier Melchor Ruan,1 Alejandro E Padilla Rosciano,1 German Calderillo-Ruiz,2 Consuelo Díaz-Romero,2 Angel Herrera-Gómez,1 Abelardo A Meneses-García31Departamento de Cirugía Oncológica, 2Departamento de Oncología Médica, 3Departamento de Terapia Intensiva, Instituto Nacional de Cancerología (INCan), Mexico City, MexicoBackground: Gastric cancer is an aggressive disease with nonspecific early symptoms. Its incidence and prognosis in young patients has shown considerable variability.Purpose of the study: Our objective was to retrospectively study patients from our institution aged <30 years with gastric carcinoma. The study was undertaken to describe the experience of gastric cancer in this population, and to demonstrate its specific clinical and pathological characteristics.Materials and methods: We reviewed the cases of histologically confirmed gastric cancer between 1985 and 2006 at the Instituto Nacional de Cancerología of Mexico (INCan); emphasis in our review was placed on clinical presentation, diagnostic and therapeutic intervention, pathology, and the results.Results: Thirty cases of gastric carcinoma were reviewed. The patients’ median age was 27 years (range, 18–30 years) and the male:female ratio was 1:1.Conclusion: Gastric cancer exhibits different behavior in patients aged <30 years, but delay in diagnosis and the tumor’s behavior appear to be the most important factors in prognosis of the disease.Keywords: gastric carcinoma, young people, delay in diagnosis