NATURAL-HISTORY OF GASTRIC-CARCINOMA WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE EARLY CANCER STAGE - A MITOTIC INDEX STUDY ON ORIGINAL AND RECURRENT CARCINOMAS

  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 72  (5) , 665-672
Abstract
The natural history of [human] gastric carcinoma, especially during the early cancer stage, was investigated in terms of chronological changes in the mitotic indices of the carcinoma. Nine cases of gastric carcinoma which recurred after long periods of time were analyzed. In 7 cases in which a 2nd operation was performed after 2-14 yr, the mitotic indices of the recurrent carcinomas were about the same as or slightly higher than the original values. In 3 cases in which 2nd operations were done within 2 yr the mitotic indices were lower in the recurrent carcinomas. No general trend toward a change in mitotic indices relative to the surface topography or the depth of the stomach wall at the site of the carcinoma was observed although there was 1 exceptional case in which a distinctly elevated mitotic index was obtained at the site of the nodular down-growth of the carcinoma associated with apparent morphological features of progression. In 5 of 7 cases with lymph node metastasis the mitotic indices in the metastatic site were slightly higher than in the original carcinoma. The impression gained was of the unchangeability of the cell kinetics of gastric carcinomas during the long early cancer stage, although the results also indicate the gradual or abrupt progression of carcinomas during their natural history. The mechanisms which produced reductions in the growth rates of carcinomas within 2 yr after operations are discussed.

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