[Clinicopathological study of minute stomach cancer]

During the last 10 years, we have experienced 41 cases of minute cancer, which is equivalent to 13.9% of all resected early stomach cancers. Out of 44 lesions in 41 cases, 17 lesions were diagnosed preoperatively, while 27 were unexpectedly detected by serial sections of the resected stomach. Most lesions were located along the lesser curvature of the body and antrum. There was no nodal involvement or vessel permeation. Histologically differentiated adenocarcinomas were encountered in 86.4%, associated with intensive intestinal mucosa in many cases. We have stressed that dye endoscopy using indigo carmine and methylene blue is very useful for the diagnosis of minute cancer.