Non-polypoid inflammatory fibroid polyps concomitant with early carcinoma in the stomach.

A 69-year-old Japanese woman with early carcinoma of the stomach was treated. Postoperative pathological examination of the resected stomach disclosed a widely spreading early carcinoma and two concomitant submucosal lesions which were histologically compatible with inflammatory fibroid polyp (IFP). Neither IFP showed a polypoid appearance: instead they had a down-growth pattern. The covering mucosa was replaced by gastric carcinoma cells. The IFPs were located mainly in the submucosa, but reached invasively to the subserosa through the proper muscular layer. The boundaries of the lesions were well demarcated in the submucosa but poorly demarcated in the subserosa. This case is very rare because the two IFPs showed a down-growth pattern and were concomitant with early gastric carcinoma.