Different characteristics of carcinoma in the gastric remnant: histochemical and immunohistochemical studies.

Seventy cases of cancer of the gastric remnant were divided into three groups: 33 cases following surgery for benign disease (group A), and 15 cases occurring more than 10 years and 22 cases occurring within 10 years after the first gastrectomy for malignant disease (groups B and C, respectively). Then mucin histochemical and immunohistochemical studies were undertaken. Billroth-II procedure for anastomosis was most frequently performed in group A. Intestinal metaplasia within the mucosa surrounding the carcinomas was more frequently present in groups A and C with a diffuse distribution. Intestinal-type surrounding mucosa was significantly more frequent in group C. The immunohistochemical expression of p53 protein was most frequently expressed in group B. We conclude that a different mechanism of carcinogenesis exists in these three groups; i) group A: the reflux of duodenal juice especially following B-II procedures leads to progression of the carcinoma. ii) group B: some genetic factor such as p53 may be related to the metachronous multiple carcinogenesis. iii) group C: metachronous multiple carcinogenesis within the short interval may be closely associated with diffuse intestinal metaplasia in the surrounding mucosa.