Gastric cancer: histopathologic patterns according to Lauren's classification in a high-risk area and distribution by...

A total of 1061 advanced gastric cancers with histologic confirmation, diagnosed from 1973 to 1982 at the Morgagni-Pierantoni Hospital (Forlì) were reclassified according to Lauren, and histologic types were related to the source of the histologic specimen, sex, age at diagnosis, place of birth and residence. This large case series showed a high percentage of intestinal type cancers, consistent with the high risk for gastric cancer which characterizes the area under study. Intestinal type carcinomas tend to be represented more in the older age groups, in males and in subjects born in the Forlì province and resident in hilly and mountainous areas. The distribution over time of biopsy specimens in this case series showed an increased use of gastroscopy for diagnosis in the population under study.