Clinico-Pathological Findings of Metastatic Carcinoma in the Stomach from Other Organs

Abstract

Though carcinomatous metastasis to various organs, such as the lung and liver, occurs frequently in the end stage of cancer, gastric metastasis is relatively rare. We examined the endoscopic findings and pathological analyses of 16 metastatic gastric cancers from our hospital during the past twenty years. Out of 16 cases, there were a total of 10 primary organs, of which lung and breast cancers were the most frequent sources. In endoscopic diagnosis of the 16 gastric lesions, there were 7 (44%) cases of suspected metastatic tumor, compared with 4 (25%) and 5 (31%) primary and non-tumor lesions, respectively. There were 5 multiple and 11 single lesions of the stomach. There were 5 (31%) cases of metastasis to the stomach alone. Eight cases (50%) were found to be primary cancer and gastric metastasis during the same period. The longest term from the onset of primary cancer to the detection of gastric metastasis was 8 years 4 months. It is difficult to distinguish gastric metastasis from primary gastric cancer and benign ulcerative lesion endoscopically. Strict follow-up observation and pathological assessment of both primary site gastric lesions were important.