Indolent mucoid carcinoma of stomach

In a review of 574 cases of gastric carcinoma, 50 (8.7%) proved to be mucoid using defined microscopic criteria. Three histological types were recognized: pure signet-ring cell carcinoma (three cases); tumour of mixed pattern (41 cases); and an easily recognized, well differentiated type (six cases). This last group pursued an indolent course and had a mean survival time of nine years compared with mean survival times in the other two groups of five and 18 months respectively.