Long-term follow-up of gastric cancer as investigated from sex and age

During the last fourteen years, from 1964 to 1977, 895 cases of gastric cancer were operated primarily in our department. The factors that influenced the prognosis of gastric cancer were investigated from the clinocopathological points, especially in terms of sex and age. The ratio of male to female was 2.04:1, but the incidence in males and females was nearly equal under 40 yr of age. In comparison, the five year actuarial survival rate of males was 45.7% and that of females was 47.4%; including both sexes, it was 46.2%. The 10 year survival rate of males, was 34.7%, and females was 43.1%, with both of them together indicating 37.2%. The prognosis of females was better than that of males, but no significant difference was found statistically. Survival rate of the patients under 30 yr of age was better than that of over 50 yr of age up to the fifth postoperative year (p<0.05). Comparing the aged group (over 60 yr of age) with the middle aged group (40 to 59 yr old) on the basis of the survival rate, the survival rate of the aged group was inferior to that of the middle aged group (p<0.025). The fact that the expected life span of the aged group was shorter than that of the middle aged group requires the survival rate, in relation to age to be compared with the corrected survival rate. With it, the survival rate of the aged group indicated favorable prognosis without any significant difference as compared to the survival rate of the middle aged group, and the survival rate of the fourth decade group showed the poorest prognosis. Among many background factors, metastasis of lymph nodes. Borrmann 4 and serosal invasion were more frequently found in the fourth decade than in any other age group of the patients. Cancer of the midportion of the stomach decreased in number as the age of the patients advanced. In contrast, cancer of the upper and lower third of the stomach increased in number. The type of Borrmann 4 was more frequently found in the fourth and fifth decades in female than in any other age groups regardless of sex. Poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma was more frequently found in females than in males. The ratio of well differentiated adenocarcinoma to poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma in each decade of life was elevated with the advance of the age of the patients.