Clinical characteristics of young-age onset gastric cancer in Korea.
BACKGROUND
Gastric cancer is the fourth most common cancer worldwide and more frequently detected in Asian countries including Korea and Japan. The incidence of young-age gastric cancer (GC) is increasing worldwide, but clinical behavior of young-age GC patients is not well established. We retrospectively analyzed the clinical features and outcomes of GC diagnosed at young-age population.


METHODS
Between Jan. 2009 to Jan. 2015, 163 patients diagnosed as early, advanced, recurrent, or metastatic GC at ages between 22 ~ 39 years were analyzed. Based on medical records, authors analyzed the clinicopathologic characteristics and survival outcomes including overall survival (OS), disease free survival (DFS), and progression free survival (PFS).


RESULTS
One-hundred and four patients (82.8 %) were diagnosed as GC at their thirties; especially 81 patients (31.2 %) patients were diagnosed over 35 years of age. The ratio of early GC and advanced GC were relatively similar (47.2 % vs. 52.8 %, respectively). Among stage II and III patients, 45 patients received 5-FU based adjuvant chemotherapy and recurrence rate was 48.9 %. Among patients diagnosed as recurrent or metastatic GC, recurrent GC patients showed relatively superior PFS and OS after cancer recurrence, compared to metastatic GC patients, but without statistical significance. Among metastatic GC patients, patients receiving palliative debulking surgery for ovary metastases showed superior PFS compared to patients who only received palliative systemic chemotherapy (P = 0.021, PFS 7.7 vs. 3.37 months, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Young age GC were commonly diagnosed at their thirties, without sexual predominance. The incidence of advanced GC in young age patients were higher compared to general patient population. Among recurrent GC patients, palliative debulking surgery might have role for superior survival outcomes. Considering relatively higher incidence for advanced GC, active surveillance for gastric cancer is warranted.
Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 222 Banpo-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul, 06591, South Korea.
Jieun
J
Lee
Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 222 Banpo-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul, 06591, South Korea.|Cancer Research Institute, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, South Korea.
Myung Ah
MA
Lee
Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 222 Banpo-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul, 06591, South Korea.
In-Ho
IH
Kim
Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 222 Banpo-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul, 06591, South Korea. roh00@catholic.ac.kr.
Sang-Young
SY
Roh
D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology; D010166:Palliative Care; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D005472:Fluorouracil
Gastric cancer; Young age cancer