| [ Summary ] |
This article describes recent epidemiological trends in cornmon gastrointestinal diseases in the aged. As for esophageal cancer, the mortality rate has not generally changed in males, but has decreased in all age groups in females. Since gastric cancer has been the main target of the anti-cancer strategy in Japan, the mortality rate has recently decreased in both sexes overall. However, it has tended to increase in those older than 90 years. As for colorectal cancer, the mortality rate has increased in both sexes overall. In particular, in those older than 85 years, the mortality rate increase is remarkable. Therefore, a policy for prevention and early detection of colorectal cancer is important. On the other hand, the prevalence of peptic ulcer is similar in both sexes except for those older than 85 years, in whom the rate has slightly increased. As eradication therapy for H. pylori infection has recently been used on a wide scale basis, a future decrease in the peptic ulcer prevalence rate is anticipated. |