[Early carcinoma of the stomach in Europe (author's transl)]

In a retrospective study of 317 816 gastroscopies between 1968 and 1973, the incidence of early carcinoma of the stomach was assessed. Among 18 887 gastric carcinomas there were 1170 early carcinomas. The most frequent kind was one of mucosal changes with defect (types II c and III according to the Japanese classification). 47% of early carcinomas were located in the lesser curvature. The diagnosis was made by biopsy in 90% of cases. The correctness of biopsy was proportional to the number of biopsies per lesion. Adding cytological examination to biopsy decreased the number of false-negative results by 30%. In most cases the history was non-specific. But in 70 patients (16%) over 40 years gastro-intestinal bleedings were the reason for endoscopic examination and led to the diagnosis of early carcinoma.