Scirrhous carcinoma occurring in the corpus (body) of the stomach.

Abstract

One hundred and fourty‐three cases of scirrhous cancer originating in the body of the stomach were examined histologically. The number corresponded to 4.2% of gastric cancer, 28.0% of scirrhous gastric cancers and 19.2% gastric cancers originating in the body of the stomach. From 30 to 60 years of age, there were twice as many female as male patients in every age decade.From gross appearances of the lesions, the scirrhous cancers were classified Into 1) Giant Fold Type and 2) Eroded Type. Both changes were seen, more or less, in the affected mucosae of all cases. The Giant Fold Type was seen mainly In the mucosa of the side walls or of the greater curvature, while the Eroded Type was more often seen In the mucosa of the lesser curvature or its neighboring area.Histologically, all cancerous lesions showed the picture of moderately or poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma with accompanying signet‐ring cells and evidence was obtained that the eroded or ulcerated area was the original site of the cancerisation. The giant folds resulted from reactive hyperplasia of the gastric mucosa to the diffuse intramural fibrosis caused by wide‐spread infiltration of the cancer cells. The cancerous foci of 42 cases of early cancer all showed a small erosion or shallow ulcer and were histologically composed of poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. Scars which were covered by regenerating epithelia, were found in 4 cases, but these changes were thought to be secondary In nature.