title: Gastric carcinoma at Tanta Cancer Center: a comparative retrospective clinico-pathological study of the elderly versus the non-elderly.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the clinico-pathological features, treatments and outcomes of gastric carcinoma (GC) in the elderly (⩾65 years) and the non-elderly Egyptian patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  This retrospective cohort study included 168 patients with histologically confirmed GC treated at Tanta Cancer Center between 2003 and 2007.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to the non-elderly, elderly patients had significantly higher proportion of tumors involving the cardia (p=0.034) and of adenocarcinoma NOS histology (p=0.032). Treatments were largely comparable in the two groups. Response to palliative chemotherapy was achieved in 44.4% of the elderly and 25.5% of the non-elderly patients (p=0.417). The median overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were 6, 17 and 3 months, respectively. The median OS was 4 months in the elderly compared to 9 months in the non-elderly (p=0.005). The median DFS was 4 months in the elderly compared to 20 months in the non-elderly (p=0.004). The median PFS was 2 months in the elderly compared to 3 months in the non-elderly (p=0.685). In multivariate analysis, poor performance status was an independent predictor of poor OS, DFS and PFS. Non-curative or no surgery and lack of chemotherapy use were independent predictors of poor OS. Age was an independent predictor of poor DFS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Compared to the non-elderly, GC in the elderly has similar clinico-pathological characteristics and exhibits comparable outcomes with the same treatment options. Treatments should be tailored to each patient.
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology/Hematology Department, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt. Electronic address: azeeneldin@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ahmed A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Zeeneldin
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology/Hematology Department, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Hanan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ramadan
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology/Hematology Department, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mosaad M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: El Gammal
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology/Hematology Department, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Magdy M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Saber
authors.affiliation: Tanta Cancer Center, Ministry of Health, Tanta, Gharbiah, Egypt.
authors.forename: Dina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Elgamal
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology/Hematology Department, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mohamed A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Sherisher
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002173:Cancer Care Facilities; D015897:Comorbidity; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009026:Mortality; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Egypt; Elderly; Gastric neoplasms; Gharbiah; Survival; Treatment