[Gastric scirrhous carcinoma and growth factors]

Recent in vivo and in vitro evidence suggests that EGF-related growth factors and TGF beta derived from tumor cells mutually act not only on tumor cells themselves but also on fibroblasts surrounding the tumor, resulting in extensive progression and fibrosis of gastric scirrhous carcinoma. There are two mechanisms involved in such extensive fibrosis. One is collagen production by fibroblasts upon stimulation by tumor-derived growth factors, and the other is collagen synthesis by the tumor cells themselves. However, the expressions of the EGF-related growth factors, TGF beta and procollagen, in tumor cells are not specific for gastric scirrhous carcinoma. Future elucidation of the function and structure of the sam gene may shed light on the developmental mechanism of gastric scirrhous carcinoma.