title: [Gastric carcinoma in a 12-year-old girl: a case report and literature review].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report the diagnosis and treatment experience of pediatric gastric cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinicopathological data of a girl with gastric carcinoma in December 2011 was analyzed retrospectively. The literatures were reviewed. The disease onset, clinical manifestations, treatment, and prognosis of the patient with gastric carcinoma were studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patient was a 12-year-old girl, and the tumor was located in greater curvature. The girl underwent laparoscopy-assisted radical total gastrectomy (D2). Pathological examination showed gastric ulcerative signet-ring cell cancer (pT4N0M0, stage II b). The outcome at the recent follow up was satisfactory. Literature review demonstrated 15 cases of pediatric gastric carcinoma, of whom 7 were boys and 8 girls. Their average age was 12.7 years (2.5-17.8 years). Tumor locations included cardia (n=5), gastric body (n=1), gastric antrum or stomach corner (n=4), gastric antrum and gastric body (n=1), and unknown (n=4). Histology showed signet-ring cell cancer in 4 patients, poorly differentiated in 6, moderate to poorly differentiated and moderate differentiated adenocarcinoma in 2. Operation was performed in 11 cases and perioperative chemotherapy in 8 cases. Nine patients had follow-up. Four patients died within 6 months and other 4 patients survived for 6 months to one year. The survival time of one patient who underwent radical surgery and perioperative chemotherapy was 102 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pediatric gastric carcinoma is extremely rare. It is highly malignant and associated with poor prognosis. Radical surgery is the most important treatment. Perioperative chemotherapy may improve the prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Chang-ming
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Chao-hui
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jian-wei
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Jia-bin
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jian-xian
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*