Precancerous significance of colonic type intestinal metaplasia

Numerous epidemiologic, morphologic and experimental studies have demonstrated the precancerous significance of intestinal metaplasia. We report here the results of a histochemical study of intestinal metaplasia in which 2 types were observed: one with sialomucin-secreting cells typical of the small intestine, and the other with sulphomucin-secreting cells typical of colonic mucosa. The correlation between colonic type intestinal metaplasia and gastric cancer is explored, since a significant precancerous value for this type of intestinal metaplasia is suggested.