[A study on the morphogenesis, tumor marker and DNA content in early gastric signet ring cell carcinoma]

From the study of 20 specimens of micro-signet ring cell carcinoma of stomach, it was noticed that fusiform epithelioid or round monocytoid carcinoma cells were usually found prior to the appearance of signet ring cells. Therefore, from the point of view in morphogenesis, cells of this tumor might be considered better to be differentiated into two stages--early and late stage, which not only represented a morphological evolution of these carcinoma cells, but also expressed their biological characteristics, as it was shown that the expressions of associated antigen to MCab MG-7 and receptors of PNA, PHA reached the highest degree in the monocytoid carcinoma cells, but was markedly attenuated in the signet ring cells and the difference present was 20 times quantitatively additionally, the nuclear DNA content was increased significantly in cancer cells of the early stage, especially the monocytoid cells, with a pattern of aneuploid and polyploid. On the contrary, signet ring cells usually belong to diploid. It seemed logical that monocytoid carcinoma cells would have the greatest value in the early diagnosis of this carcinoma.