OBJECTIVE: In order to determine a the clinicopatological features in young patients with gastric cancer and compare them with aged patients.PATIENTS AND METHODS: For this study, we selected the clinical charts from the total of patients with histological proved diagnosis of gastric adenocarcinoma admitted at the INEN between 1980 and 1996 whose age was less than 31 year (Young group, n =92). As a comparison group (Average Group) we chose of the same universe, a random sample of 184 patients between 50 to 70 years of age. Epidemiological, clinical and histological features, operability and resecability, TNM stage, type of surgery and follow-up of both groups were analyzed.RESULTS: In the Young Group in compared with Average Group, females were more frequent (73.9% vs. 50.5% p<0.001); mucocelular type (70% vs. 31.0%, p<0.001) and undifferentiated carcinoma (75% vs. 32.6%, p>0.001). The mean survival time in the Young Group was 74.9 months and in the Average Group was 36.03 months (p=0.26), there were no significant differences in the survival between resecability and sex (p=0.10 and p=0.41).CONCLUSION: The females and undifferentiated carcinoma was the most frequent features in the young patients with gastric cancer. The survival in this group is better than the average group but this was a no significant difference because the diagnosis was made in late stages.