Gastric cancer in the young, with special reference to 14 pregnancy-associated cases: analysis based on 2,325 consecutive cases of gastric cancer.

Clinicopathologic features of gastric cancer in young women were analyzed with special reference to pregnancy (P). Among 2,325 consecutive patients, there were 152 young patients under 40 years of age (57 males and 95 females), and 14 P-associated cases were identified. The male-to-female ratio was 1.7:1.0 on the whole, but 1.0:1.7 in the young group with more females predominating as the age of patients decreased. Among characteristics of gastric cancer in the young females, we noted a significantly higher frequency of both Borrmann type 4 cancer and poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma with the scirrhus type of growth and peritoneal metastasis. These characteristics were more pronounced in the P-associated cases. Although we were unable to determine the mechanism for these tendencies, our findings suggest that the development and growth of gastric cancer in young women may be influenced by their natural, biological and hormonal circumstances. The prognosis of the young women with or without associated pregnancy was good after curative surgery. Both early detection of gastric cancer and subsequent potentially curative surgery are the best ways to obtain good survival for young women, as is the case for members of other age and sex groups.