Abstract
1538 cases of resectable primary gastric cancer for past 15 years are reviewed especially to clarify characteristics of aged patients.
For recent 5 years, an increase in occurrence of gastric cancer was remarkable in aged patients over 70 years. A tumor occupying M-area are common generally, however, a tumor occupying A-area was more common among aged cases ever 70 than among younger ones under 39 years; gastric cancer type II was also more common among the aged cases of both sexes (p<0.005). When compared with younger and middle cases, differenciated or undifferenciated cancer was significantly more common among male or female aged cases respectively (p<0.005). Stage III or IV tumor was more often found among patients over 70 than among those under 69 years, accompanying by more n-positive cases (p<0.005). H·P factor-positive tumor was more common among patients over 70 than any other age groups except younger group (p<0.05-0.005). Moreover, v·ly factor-positive tumor was significantly more common especially among patients over 80. Examination of nuclear DNA ploidy pattern of cancer cells revealed a more common non-diploid pattern among patients over 70 than among others (p<0.05-0.025).
These findings indicate that gastric cancer among aged people are characterized by more frequent occurrence in advanced stages and a strong tendency to be invasive regionally, which could be confirmed by studying nuclear DNA of cancer cells.
