Healing of mucosal lesions in early gastric cancer

In order to establish the frequency of early gastric cancer, (EGC), over 7 years of endoscopic experience and to illustrate the modifications of the lesion in the re-checked cases 3,000 consecutive patients were retrospectively considered. Six EGC (histological diagnosis on the resected specimens) were detected (0.2% of the material and 7.8% of the observed gastric cancers). In 4 out of 5 cases studied by means of a second examiniation, a substantial change of the macroscopic appearance of the lesion occurred, with an apparent healing of ulceration or erosions. In 3 cases the diagnosis of malignancy was made only at follow-up examination. The following conclusions may be drawn: (1) ulceration or erosion in EGC may often heal; and (2) multiple biopsy of the repaired gastric mucosa is necessary due to the possibility of false-benign diagnosis at the first observation.