The relationship between demographic characteristics of gastric cancer patients and tumor localization and histopathology at the time of diagnosis

This study aims to evaluate the associations between demographic characteristics—including age, sex, and smoking status—and the anatomical localization as well as histopathological features of tumors at the time of diagnosis in patients with gastric cancer. By elucidating these relationships, the study seeks to enhance the understanding of factors influencing the clinical course of the disease and to contribute to the development of more individualized and targeted therapeutic strategies. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective cross-sectional study, data from a total of 78 patients diagnosed with gastric cancer between March 2020 and October 2024 at Van Yüzüncü Yıl University Dursun Odabaş Medical Center were reviewed. Patient data included age, sex, tumor localization, histopathological subtype, grade of differentiation, disease stage, smoking status, and imaging modalities used at the time of diagnosis. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 18.0. In addition to descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, t-test, and appropriate parametric or non-parametric tests were applied. Results: In this study, the demographic, clinical, and pathological characteristics of 78 patients diagnosed with gastric cancer were evaluated. Of the patients, 53.8% were male and 46.2% were female, with a mean age of 61.3 years. The most common tumor localization was the cardia region (61.5%), and the most prevalent histopathological subtype was intestinal-type adenocarcinoma (82.1%). Moderately differentiated tumors were the most frequently observed grade of differentiation. No statistically significant association was found between histological grade and sex (p=0.396). At the time of diagnosis, 38.5% of the patients were at stage III and 26.9% at stage IV, indicating that the majority were diagnosed at an advanced stage. The rate of smoking was significantly higher among male patients (p=0.001); however, no significant association was found between smoking status and tumor histology. Although no statistically significant difference was observed between tumor localization and age, tumors located in the pyloric region tended to be more common in older patients. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that tumor localization and histopathological characteristics in gastric cancer patients may be associated with certain demographic factors. Notably, tumors located in the cardia were observed more frequently in older male patients. These results underscore the importance of developing targeted diagnostic and screening approaches, as well as personalized treatment strategies, in the management of gastric cancer. Further large-scale, prospective studies are recommended to validate and expand upon these findings.