Diagnosis of Early Gastric Cancer

Summary

In a review of 111 cases of early gastric cancer it was found that the depressed type is most common (73 per cent) and that the majority of the lesions was located along the lesser curve or the posterior wall of the gastric angle or lower gastric body. Whereas from 1958 to 1960 only 3.7% of all carcinomas were of the early type, early cancer occupied 33.1% during 1967-1969. Characteristic findings for type II c are peripheral thickening or narrowing and destruction of converged mucosal folds and shallow uneven central depression with irregular edges. The problems of gastroscopic biopsy, especially in minute lesions and near the cardiac region are discussed. The possibility of malignant degeneration of benign ulcer (follow-up of 700 patients) is denied. The same is true for gastric polyps unless tree-like elevation of muscularis mucosae, survival of pyloric glands and localized carcinomatous tissue is found.

Key-Words

Early gastric cancer - malignant ulcer - polypous carcinoma