Review offive casesofearly gastric carcinoma

SUMMARY Five casesofearly gastric carcinoma (EGC) wereseenin12months. Theclinical features didnotprovide guide-lines todiagnosis, whichdepends on aircontrast barium studies, endoscopic recognition ofearly malignancy, adequate biopsies, andtheir interpretation. Malignancy was presentinan averageof60%ofthebiopsies taken. Themostcommon typeoflesion was lIc. The superficial natureofthemalignancy was predicted atendoscopy infour casesbutwasunsuspected inone casewhich was considered tobeadvanced carcinoma until theresected specimen was thoroughly examined microscopically. Theexcellent prognosis ofEGCwasdiscussed. Only conservative surgeryneedbeperformed ifthesuperficial nature ofthelesion isrecognized before operation. Early gastric cancer (EGC)canbedefined ascarcinomaconfined tomucosaorsubmucosa without infiltration into themuscularis propria (Murakami, 1971). Thiscondition iswellrecognized inJapan wheremassscreening isusedtodetect carcinoma because ofitshighprevalence (Segi, 1969), butis seldomrecognized in Australia, theUnited Kingdom, andU.S.A., judging bythesparsity of references intheliterature. Thehighfiveyear survival rateofsurgically treated EGC (morethan 95%/0) compared withthatofadvanced gastric cancer (approximately 30%)(Ransom, 1953; Muto, 1962) provides thestimulus formaking adiagnosis at this stage ofdisease. Thedetection ofthis early lesion requires team workbetween expert radiologists giving goodair contrast bariumstudies, experienced endoscopists awareofthecondition, andhistopathologists capable ofinterpreting thesmall biopsy specimens. Thispaperdescribes ourexperience ofearly gastric carcinoma during a12monthperiod. During this period, five cases ofearly gastric cancer were seenamongatotal of26cases ofgastric carcinoma onwhomendoscopy wasperformed. Methods RADIOLOGY