Gastric cancer in upper gastrointestinal endoscopy population: Prevalence and clinicopathological characteristics.

Over a period of seven years, 1404-1410H (1984-1990G), a total of 10,725 upper gastrointestinal endoscopies were performed at King Khalid University Hospital (KKUH), Riyadh. Sixty-seven patients (0.62%) had gastric adenocarcinoma. The endoscopy files of these patients were retrospectively reviewed. Men were more than three times at risk and their average age (61.1 years) was higher compared to women (49.1 years). Abdominal pain (49%), vomiting (36%) and weight loss (36%) were the dominating symptoms at presentation. Approximately 40% of gastric cancers were located at the cardiofundic region. The most frequent macroscopic type was the ulcerative type (67%). Polypoid (18%) and ulcerative-polypoid type (15%) were less frequent. According to Lauren's [1] classification, 38% had diffuse, 51% interstitial, and 11% had intermediate type. Thirty-seven percent of the patients had an advanced lesion at presentation with organ metastasis.