[Endocrine therapy of scirrhous carcinoma of the stomach]

Tissue localization of endogenous estrogens (estrone; E1, estradiol; E2, estriol; E3) progesterone was examined in scirrhous type of gastric cancer by the peroxidase-antiperoxidase (PAP) immunoperoxidase method. Twelve of 47 specimens showed positive estrogen staining, and 4 of 47 showed positive progesterone staining. The incidence of positive staining for these 4 substances was higher in male patients than in female patients. The number of specimens with positive E2 staining was the highest among E1, E2 and E3 staining. Prognosis of patients who had undergone curative surgery with positive estrogen staining were better than that of patients with negative estrogen staining. The existence of estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PgR) was also shown in 3 specimens and one specimen, respectively, from another 15 specimens with scirrhous type of gastric cancer by the dextran-coated charcoal assay. In a clinical test, Tamoxifen administered patients with scirrhous carcinoma following curative or noncurative gastrectomy showed better prognosis than non-Tamoxifen administered those.