[Gastric carcinoma in the young people]

We studied the characteristics of the incidence, and prognosis of the gastric carcinoma in young people. The clinicopathological findings and follow-up data of the gastric carcinoma patients treated from 1976 to 1991 were compared in 624 olderly patients. The male to female ratio was 1:1.2 in young patients and it increased with age up to a peak: in the 50-59 year-old group (2.8:1). An increase of poorly differentiated tumors was found significantly in the young people (88.2%) compared with the olderly (P < 0.01). A slight preponderance of diseases in stage III and IV was found in the young people (72.5%, P > 0.1). There was no significant difference of resectability and postoperative actuarial survival between the two groups. Most young patients were diagnosed in the late stage. Early detection of the carcinoma in the young patients plays a significant role in improving their treatment results.