[The characters of AFP-producing early gastric cancer]

During the last decade, we have experienced 525 cases of gastric cancer. Within these, 195 were early gastric cancer (37.1%). Five and eight year survival rates were 86.9 and 77.2%. There were seven cases of recurrence, all of which were liver metastasis of submucosal cancers. Two combined with pulmonary metastasis. Three of the recurrent cases had serum AFP raised (greater than 20ng/ml) before or after partial gastrectomy. When these gastric specimens were reviewed, AFP positive cells were stained by PAP method. Compared with the AFP negative group of 168 early gastric cancers, invasion of lymphatic and venous vessels of the stomach and incidence of the liver metastasis were significantly higher in the stained group. 1.3 and 4.5 year survival rates of the cases (including ours) of AFP producing early gastric cancer, which had been reported in Japanese literatures, were 76.1, 45.7 and 22.9%, respectively. Liver metastasis was found in 7 of 12 cases (58.3%). It is clear that AFP producing early gastric cancer has the same tendency for liver metastasis as the AFP producing advance gastric cancer does. To prevent its recurrence, early diagnosis by PAP method for specimens with hepatic picture and aggressive adjuvant chemotherapy are mandatory.