A total of 29 aged patients surgically treated for gastric cancer was analized to determine risk factors of early and long-term prognoses. In 96.6% of all patients, preoperative complications were found. Incidence of postoperative complications was as high as 51.7%. Early mortality was 6.8%. Discriminant analysis identified heart diseases (x1), hypoproteinemia (x2), and intraoperative bleeding (x3) as significant risk factors for early morbidity. The linear discriminant function was as follows:
Z(x)=-4.5x1-2.9x2-2.3x3+12.4 Experience of two early deaths suggests necessity of intensive care for perforated gastric cancers, and discourages us to perform combined resection of other organs. Percentage survivals at 3 and 5 years after surgery were 75.5% and 0%, respectively. Cox's proportional hazard model identified curability, stage peritoneal involvement, combined resection, and depth of tumor invasion as significant risk factors for long-term survival. These risk factors should be considered as significant clinical indexes for aged patients undergoing gestric cancer.