[Histological structure of early stomach cancer]

On the material of 144 cases of early gastric cancer its two main histological types are described: enterocellular and mucoidocellular (diffuse). Both these types are differed one from the other by trends of differentiation of tumor cells with the maintained covering function of the epithelium in intestinal carcinoma and the secretory function--in mucoid one. Intestinal cancer shows the structure of adenocarcinoma and is characterized by an expansive exophytic growth. Mucoid carcinoma produces fibrous bands, chains and free cell clusters and shows an endophytic, diffuse-infiltrative growth. In intestinal and mucoid type of cancer a stable (differentiated), progressive (actively proliferating) and regressive variants can be distinguished, the development of which is closely related with local immune reactions in the gastric wall.