Abstract
Clinicopathological aspects of multiple early gastric cancers (M-group) were compared with those of single early gastric cancer (S-group). 1) Frequency of M-group was 2.1% of all gastrectmized cases with cancers (60 out of 2, 924 cases) between the period from 1968 to 1977 and that of S-group was 16.8% (492 out of 2, 924 cases). 2) Sex ratio (Male: Female) was 7.6: 1 in M-group and 3.2: 1 in S-group. Mean age was 61.1±9.7 in M-group and 58.3±17.5 (mean±SD) in S-group. 3) Macroscopical findings showed that the elevated or protruded lesions preponderated in M-group (66 out of 150 lesions, 44.0%) in contrast to S-group in which the depressed or excavated lesions were predominant (323 out of 492 cases, 65.7%). 4) The cancers were well differentiated adenocarcinoma in 113 out of 150 lesions (79.3 %) and poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma in 31 lesions (20.7%) in M-group, on the other hand in total 150 lesions of . S-group, they were in 96 lesions (64.0%) and 54 lesions (36.0%) respectively. 5) In total 79 lesions of M-group, the cancers developed in pyloric gland area in 66 lesions (83.60) and in intermediate zone in 13 lesions (15.40). No lesions located in f undic gland area. In total 106 lesions of S-group, they were 63 lesions (59.40), 36 lesions (34.0%), 7 lesions (6.6%) respectively. 6) In M-group, the border line between pylolic and f undic gland was observed on higher site of the stomach than S-group. 7) There was a tendency that the extent of the intestinal metaplasia was more widely distribution in M-group than in S-group. More close relationship to the atrophic gastritis was suggested in M-group than in S-group. It is emphasized that these characteristics of multiple early gastric cancers should be kept in mind on occasions of endoscopic examination,
