OBJECTIVE This study was designed to determine theclinicopathologic features of young patients who underwentgastrectomy for gastric cancer and to improve the clinicalmanagement of this disease.METHODS From 1981 to 2000,among 1,830 gastric cancerpatients were admitted in our hospital for surgical treatment,66of them were<36 years of age.The clinicopathologic data of theseyoung patients were collected and reviewed.RESULTS The male:female ratio was 1.2:1.Most tumors werelocated in the lower third of the stomach(63.1%).The overall5-year survival rate of 66 cases was 28.7%.The 5-year survivalrates in the patients with early stages and with advanced stages ofgastric carcinoma were 77.8%(7/9)and 21.1%(12/57),respectively.Unfavorable prognostic factors associated with poor 5-yearsurvival included the degree of the invasion in the gastric wall(P<0.05),and curability of resection(non-curative vs.curative;P<0.05).CONCLUSION Gastric cancer in young adults tends to be moreadvanced presentation when diagnosed.However,young patientswith early gastric cancer can tolerate radical treatments well.Itis important to promptly make a precise diagnosis for gastriccarcinoma in young patients and to treat it in early stage. OBJECTIVE This study was designed to determine the ccl icopathologic features of young patients who underwentgastrectomy for gastric cancer and to improve the clinical management of this disease. METHODS From 1981 to 2000, among 1,830 gastric cancer patients were admitted in our hospital for surgical treatment, 66 of them were <36 years of age.The clinicopathologic data of theseyoung patients were collected and reviewed.RESULTS The male: female ratio was 1.2: 1.Most tumors werelocated in the lower third of the stomach (63.1%). The overall5-year survival rate of 66 cases was 28.7%. The 5-year survival in the patients with early stages and with advanced stages of gastric carcinoma were 77.8% (7/9) and 21.1% (12/57), respectively. Unfavorable prognostic factors associated with poor 5-yearsurvival included the degree of the invasion in the gastric wall (P <0.05), and curability of resection (non-curative vs. curative; P <0.05). CONCLUSION Gastric cancer in young adults tend to be more advanced presentation when diagnosed. Yet, young patients with early gastric cancer can tolerate radical treatment well. Isis important to promptly make a precise diagnosis for gastriccarcinoma in young patients and to treat it in early stage.