[An immunohistochemical study of the localization of embryonic prealbumin in the gastric mucosa in chronic gastritis and hyperplastic polyps].

The location of embryonic prealbumin (EPA) was investigated by indirect immune peroxidase test in gastric mucosa: 16 cases of chronic gastritis without malignant tumour and in 48 cases of gastric carcinoma. EPA in the mucosa was found in 35% cases of carcinoma outside the tumour and 31.3% cases of mucosa without tumour. The highest expression of EPA was found in stromal component of hyperplastic polyp without malignancy. Comparison of EPA and carcinoembryonic antigen in tissue did not reveal the presence of correlation between these oncofetal markers. Most likely this antigen is of a reactive nature and it can not be used for the evaluation of the probability of gastric mucosa malignant transformation.