Dysplasias and morphogenesis of gastric cancer.

In a study of 143 selected human stomachs, resected for different pathologic changes, specific criteria were adopted to define the features of early gastric cancer, carcinoma in situ, gastric dysplasia, and gastric maturation disorders. The results in general did not lead to agreement in diagnoses, except in cases of early carcinoma, intestinal metaplasia, adenomatous polyps, and maturation impairment. A theory concerning the morphogenesis of gastric cancer was proposed in accordance with the data presented. This theory takes into account all possibilities of differentiations and dedifferentiations of the gastric gland stem cell pathway, as was determined from data of experimental carcinogenesis.