Clinico-epidemiological profile of gastric cancer in Algerian patients age 45 and under

Abstract

Introduction: Gastric cancer is the second leading cause of cancer related mortality and the fourth most common cancer globally; the average age at diagnosis is generally > 50. In our department of medical oncology in Blida (north of Algeria) we have observed an increased number of young patients with gastric cancer. The aim of this study is to determine epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of this cancer in young patients ≥ 45. Methods: This is a retrospective study of patients diagnosed with gastric cancer aged 45 and under, treated in department of medical oncology in Blida between January 2014 and December 2016. We were interested to clinico-epidemiological characteristics of this population. Results: During this period, 42 patients with gastric cancer age 45 and under were seen, which is about 20.4% of all patients with gastric cancer (total: 205 patients); 26 were male (61.9%) and 16 female (38.1%), median age at diagnosis 35 years, range 21 to 45. Body mass index (BMI) was higher 25 in 12 patients(28.5%);smoking was found in 15 patients (35.7%),consumption of salted and preserved products was observed in 19 patients (45.2%); diet higt in meat and fat was observed in 20 patients (47.6%), oil of cade intake was noted in some patients, family history of gastric cancer was seen in 2 patients and family history of other cancer was seen in 9 patients. The most common symptom was epigastralgia, diagnosis delay was >3 months in 62% of cases, the gastric antrum was the most frequent seat, histological type was adenocarcinoma in 90.4%, helicobacter pylori infection was determinated in 18 biopsies, locally advanced (III) and metastatic stages (IV) were respectively 38.1% and 42.8% of cases. Conclusion: High incidence of gastric cancer in young people (in our series) . The main risq factors in young people are: smoking, HP+, low socioeconomic status, intake of salty and smoking food, oil of cade, diet rich in meat and fat, low in vegetables and fruits, physical inactivity, excess weight and unknown behavioral factors. Eating habits and how to live our young population must be analysed carefully . Gastric cancer is still a serious health problem in Algeria, other prospective studies to identify other risk factors are highly recommended.