[The annual change in cases of early gastric cancer]

From 1963 to 1985, 1038 cases of early gastric cancer were treated at Fukui Prefecture Hospital. From a study that was undertaken, the incidence of early gastric cancer in cases of a resected gastric cancer was found to have increased. The age distribution and the sex ratio of early gastric cancer patients had not changed annually, though early gastric cancers that were detected by a mass survey or comprehensive physical examinations had increased. Macroscopically, early gastric cancers of the elevated type decreased while those of the depressed type increased. With regard to size, lesions smaller than 1.0 cm have increased during the past 5 years. Histologically, well-differentiated tubular adenocarcinomas have increased annually. The grade of intestinal metaplasia in the stomach has not changed.