Association between family history and gastric carcinoma among young adults

The relationship between family history of gastric carcinoma and gastric carcinoma in Japanese under 40 years of age was analyzed. The subjects were 108 gastric carcinoma patients (86% were diffuse type) at 9 hospitals in the Kanto area of Japan. Firstly, incidence of gastric carcinoma among the parents of the subjects were compared with that in the general population. Observed/expected (O/E) ratios (P-value) were 1.8 (0.06) for all subjects, 1.3 (0.62) for male subjects, 2.1 (0.04) for female subjects, 0.5 (0.41) for early carcinoma, 2.6 (P<0.01) for advanced carcinoma, 2.3 (0.22) for intestinal-type carcinoma and 1.7 (0.13) for diffuse-type carcinoma. Association between gastric carcinoma and parents' history of gastric carcinoma was strong among women and regarding advanced carcinoma, and the difference in O/E ratios between early and advanced carcinoma was remarkable. Secondly, factors related to advanced-stage gastric carcinoma were analyzed. Histological type (diffuse and intestinal types) was not related, but family history of gastric carcinoma among parents and grandparents was related to advanced stage, and the relationship was independent of other factors. The odds ratio (95% confidence interval) was 3.3 (1.1-9.9). Family history may be related to stage of gastric carcinoma through its relationship to the manner or speed of the tumor's progression. We hypothesis that some genetic factor exists which is involved both in progression from early to advanced stage and in occurrence of gastric carcinoma.