[Clinico-pathological study of solid poorly differentiated carcinoma of the stomach]

We have studied the clinico-pathological features of 42 autopsied cases involving solid, poorly differentiated carcinomas that histologically revealed a medullary growth pattern but none showing a tubular formation. Ninety percent of these 42 cases were male, and the 42 carcinomas were of 5 histological types as listed below: 1) small cell carcinoma-atypical carcinoid type (15 cases); 2) AFP-producing type (so-called "hepatoid carcinoma") (4 cases); 3) acinar type (8 cases); 4) signet ring cell-medullary type (2 cases); and, 5) large cell type (13 cases) The small cell carcinoma-atypical carcinoid type, the AFP-producing type, and the large cell type showed a severe hematogenous metastasis. In contrast, the acinar type had a lymphogenous metastasis the signet ring cell-medullary type, showed a lymphogenous and peritoneal metastasis. Each histological type well corresponded to the typical biological characteristics of each of these carcinomas of the stomach.