[Microcarcinoidosis of the stomach. Diffuse hyperplasia of endocrine c ells and multiple polyp-like carcinoids]

A diffuse peptide microcarcinoidosis was observed both in a 56-year-old man with chronic atrophic gastritis and in a 33-year-old female with chronic atrophic gastritis and pernicious anaemia. Besides hyperplasia of endocrine cells at the base of gastric fundus and corpus mucosa with infiltration of the mucosal muscular layer multiple macro- and micropolyp carcinoids were present. In both cases serotonin was demonstrated immunohistochemically in the intestinal metaplastic mucosal changes, in the microcarcinoidosis foci and in the carcinoids. However, no appropriate clinical symptomatology was observed. The diagnosis can already be made by biopsy which must be deep enough and include gastric mucosa containing the mucosal muscular layer. Should gastric carcinoid be established histologically the other macroscopically normal mucosa must also be biopsied for exclusion of diffuse microcarcinoidosis as intermediate form of a multiple carcinoid. In such a case treatment consists of total gastrectomy.