age and gastric cancer
Last reviewed 06/2021
- 99% of cases of upper gastrointestinal cancer (oesophagus, stomach, pancreas) occur over in patients over 40 years old
- over 90% of gastric cancers occur in patients over 55 years old
- incidence is strongly related to age, with the highest incidence rates
being in older men and women. In the UK between 2009 and 2011, an average
of 51% cases were diagnosed in men and women aged 75 and over
- incidence is strongly related to age, with the highest incidence rates
being in older men and women. In the UK between 2009 and 2011, an average
of 51% cases were diagnosed in men and women aged 75 and over
- with respect to stomach cancer:
- age-specific incidence rates rise sharply from around age 60-64, peak
in the 85-89 age group, and subsequently drop in those aged 90+. Incidence
rates are higher for males than for females in those aged 40-44 and over
(in the younger age groups the sex difference is not significant) and
this gap is widest at the ages of 65 to 69, when the male:female incidence
ratio of age-specific rates (to account for the different proportions
of males to females in each age group) is around 28:10
- age-specific incidence rates rise sharply from around age 60-64, peak
in the 85-89 age group, and subsequently drop in those aged 90+. Incidence
rates are higher for males than for females in those aged 40-44 and over
(in the younger age groups the sex difference is not significant) and
this gap is widest at the ages of 65 to 69, when the male:female incidence
ratio of age-specific rates (to account for the different proportions
of males to females in each age group) is around 28:10
- with respect to oesophageal cancer:
- age-specific incidence rates rise sharply from around age 45-49 years,
with the highest rates in the 90+ age group (2)
- incidence rates are higher for males than females from age 30-34, with no significant differences at younger ages
- gap is widest at the ages of 40-44, when the male:female ratio of age-specific incidence rates (to account for the different proportions of males to females in each age group) is around 37:10
- age-specific incidence rates rise sharply from around age 45-49 years,
with the highest rates in the 90+ age group (2)
Reference:
- Cancer Research UK. Stomach cancer incidence statistics (Accessed 3/1/18)
- Cancer Research UK. oesophageal cancer incidence statistics (Accessed 3/1/18)
- Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer (April 2000). NHS Executive.