Abstract

Purpose: To analyse differences in clinicopathological features and prognosis between gastric cancer patients less than 40-year-old and older. Patients and Methods: Medical records of 299 cases of gastric carcinoma treated from January, 2016 through December, 2017 in Surgery Department No 2, HCMC Oncology Hospital were studied retrospectively. Results: Gastric cancer patients less than 40-year-old were 8.7% (95% CI: 5.5 - 11.9%). Compared to older patients, gastric cancer patients younger than 40 years: more frequently had grade 3 tumors (77% with grade 3 tumors vs 52%, p=0.013), had no difference in other clinicopathologic features, had an inferior median overall survival (5 vs 12 months, p=0.044). TNM stage was an independent prognostic factor in young patients with gastric cancer. For stage IV disease, young adults had overall survival 3.6 times less than older patients (p=0.019). Conclusion: Patients with young-onset gastric cancer were more likely to have grade 3 tumors. Yet, their other clinicopathological features were comparable to older patients. They had an inferior median overall survival.