Abstract
The diagnostic criteria of adenosquamous cell carcinoma (ASCa) is controversial. The authors consider that formation of cell nest, arrangement of mosaic pattern (Mp), kera-tinization and intercellular bridge are essential to the diagnosis of ASCa.
Seven hundred and seventy nine cases of gastric cancer and 13 cases of esophageal carcinoma have been resected in Kyoto National Hospital. Histological investigations are done.
To date, 140 cases of ASCa have been reported in the Japanese literatures. These reports are reviewed. Conclusions obtained are as follows:
1) Keratin staining is done in 13 cases of esophageal carcinoma. Either keratin or prekeratin is recognized in all cases.
2) Thirteen cases out of 779 gastric carcinoma are suspected of ASCa. These cases show the cell nest formation which is characteristic of ASCa.
3) Either keratin or prekeratin is recognized in 5 out of 13 cases of suspected ASCa (38.5%).
4) Mp is seen in 5 cases in which keratinization is shown.
5) In 97 (69.5%) of these cases whether keratin is present or absent is described. In 69 cases, Keratinization is recognized. Only in 41 (29.3%) of 140 cases, whether Mp is present or absent is recognized.
6) According to the diagnostic criteria of the authors, the incidence of ASCa in this hospital is 0.6% of gastric carcinoma. The diagnostic criteria of the authors is fulfilled in only 69 out of 140 cases of ASCa reported in the Japanese literatures
