Mucin phenotype of gastric cancer and clinicopathology of gastric-type differentiated adenocarcinoma.

Differentiated adenocarcinoma of the stomach is classified into gastric or intestinal phenotypes based on mucus expression. Recent advances in mucin histochemistry and immunohistochemistry have highlighted the importance of such a distinction, and it is important clinically to distinguish between gastric- and intestinal-type differentiated adenocarcinoma. However, a clinical and pathological diagnosis of this type is often difficult in early gastric cancer because of histological similarities between a hyperplastic epithelium and low-grade atypia. Furthermore, determining tumor margins is often difficult, even with extensive preoperative examination. It is therefore critical to consider these diagnostic difficulties and different biological behaviors with high malignant potential when treating patients with gastric-type differentiated adenocarcinoma.