Abstract

Introduction. The characteristics and results of radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer in elderly patients are controversial. Aim. To analyze the clinicopathologic characteristics and the results of gastrectomy for cancer in a group of patients ≥ 75 year old. Material and method. A series of 442 patients who underwent surgery for gastric cancer was divided into group A (< 75 years old) and group B (≥ 75 years old). The clinicopathologic characteristics, results of gastrectomy, and long-term survival were compared. Results. The mean age was 62 ± 13 years. There were 361 patients in group A and 81 patients in group B. Tumoral location in the upper third of the stomach was more frequent in group A than in group B (36.8% vs 24.7%), while localization in the lower third of the stomach was more frequent in group B than in group A (50.6% vs 29.4%) (p < 0.05). Total gastrectomy was performed in 66% of patients in group A and in 38% of those in group B (p < 0.05); 27.3 ± 3.5 nodes were resected in group A and 19.5 ± 0.7 in group B (p < 0.05). No differences were found in the frequency of complications (16%) or in overall operative mortality between the two groups. However, mortality in total gastrectomy was higher in group B (6.4%) than in group A (3.8%) (p < 0.05). No differences in 5-year survival were found between the two groups (44.3% in group A and 44.4% in group B). Conclusions. In patients aged more than 75 years old, tumors were more frequently located in the distal third of the stomach. Age above 75 years does not seem to be a prognostic factor and long-term results depend more on disease stage.