Clinical characteristics of the carcinoma of the stomach and its localization.

The result of follow-up study and the localization of gastric carcinoma subjected to the operation at the Second Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University during 7 year period from 1963 to 1969 form the basis of the present communication. The curative resectability was 70.3 per cent in the carcinoma of the distal third of the stomach (A), 82.9 per cent in that of the middle third (M) and 55.3 in that of the proximal third (C); the 5-year survival rate was 48.6 per cent in the cancer of A, 81.1 per cent in that of M and 49.1 per cent in that of C respectively. In the carcinoma of A incidence of high grade penetrative invasion into the gastric wall as well as metastatic involvment was high. It is noteworthy that the tendency of the metastasis was found even in those with low grade penetration. In the carcinoma of M the incidence of high grade penetration as well as lymphatic metastasis was relatively low. The hepatic metastasis and peritoneal dissemination was also not frequent. In the carcinoma of C the incidence of high grade penetration was very high and the lymphatic metastasis was frequently observed in those with high grade penetration. Biological characteristics of the carcinoma of the stomach in each location and their therapeutic significance are discussed.