A CASE OF SMALL-CELL CARCINOMA OF THE STOMACH

A case of small cell carcinoma of the stomach is reported. A 53-year-o ld male was referred to our hospital for elective surgery for gastric cancer. Pre-operative examinations revealed no metastases. Gastrectomy was performed curatively, and there were no gross findings of metasta ses. Histologically, the tumor was composed of intermediate-sized cell s with hyper-chromatic nuclei and scanty cytoplasm. These cells were a rgyrophilic and positive for chromogranin A. A small portion of the tu mor consisted of conventional adenocarcinoma (signet ring cell carcino ma and tubular adenocarcinoma). No Lymph node metastasis was observed microscopically. However 7 months after the operation, splenic and hep atic metastases were detected, and the patient died very soon thereaft er. Small cell carcinoma of the stomach is a very rare disease. In. li terature, only 15 cases have been cured surgically. Among them, only o ne case had been diagnosed as small cell carcinoma before the operatio n, which suggests the difficulty of pre-operative diagnosis. The progn osis of this disease is very poor compared with the common. type of ga stric carcinoma. Considering the poor prognosis of this particular dis ease, adjuvant chemotherapy might be mandatory in all cases evert if s urgically curative resection is performed.