title: Gastrointestinal carcinoma--are there age-related differences in tumor behavior?
abstract: Among the gastric cancers, the percentage of diffuse carcinomas decreases with increasing age, while the incidence of the intestinal type increases markedly (up to 50 years 29.6%, older than 70 years 61.5%). Accordingly, in patients older than 70, gastric carcinomas limited to the antrum are seen significantly more frequently (32.5%) than in younger patients (21.1%). In patients aged 70 years or less, the rectum is more frequently affected than the colon (ratio 1.41:1), than is the case in older patients (1.17:1). With respect to stage distribution and the pTNM classification, colorectal carcinomas and gastric carcinomas show only small age-related differences. The prognosis of both carcinomas is independent of age when the survival rates are corrected for age, post-operative mortality is excluded, and only patients with identical stages are compared. In patients older than 70, cancer is not less aggressive, but, as a result of the limitations of therapeutic possibilities, and greater side effects of treatment, is more dangerous than in younger patients.
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology; D002288:Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous / Q000473:pathology; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*