A case of undifferentiated-type mucosal gastric cancer with multiple lymph node metastases fulfilling the curative criteria for endoscopic resection according to routine pathological analysis.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Endoscopic resection is accepted as the standard treatment for early mucosal gastric cancer, and its indications have recently been expanded while its long-term outcomes are still unclear. Herein, we present a didactic case of undifferentiated-type mucosal gastric cancer fulfilling the expanded indication and curative criteria for endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), having synchronous multiple lymph node metastases.

CASE PRESENTATION:

A 40-year-old woman was found to have a Helicobacter pylori infection at a standard health check with no abdominal symptoms. She received an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and found to have an undifferentiated-type mucosal gastric cancer with the size of 15 mm in diameter without ulceration, which fulfilled the expanded indication for ESD. According to patient's preference, we performed laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy with D1+ lymph node dissection, and routine pathological analysis revealed a predominantly signet ring cell carcinoma limited to the mucosa without ulceration or any vessel involvement; on the other hand, 15 lymph node metastases were detected. Then, we added deep sectioning of the whole tumoral area at a thickness of 20 μm and immunohistochemical analyses. As the result, an isolated lymphatic capillary involvement of the extremely superficial submucosa was identified in a single histological section, and pathological diagnosis was corrected to ly1. She received postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy with an S-1 oral agent and had no recurrence under strict surveillance for 1 year postoperatively.

CONCLUSIONS:

When we perform ESD for undifferentiated-type gastric cancer, deep sectioning of the whole tumoral area into thin slices and immunohistochemical staining using D2-40 should be practically considered.

• Authors: Takao Hara, Tsuyoshi Etoh, Yoshitake Ueda, Yuki Shitomi, Hidefumi Shiroshita, Norio Shiraishi, Tsutomu Daa, Masafumi Inomata
• Journal: Surgical case reports (Surg Case Rep) Vol. 2 Issue 1 Pg. 96 (Dec 2016) ISSN: 2198-7793 [Print] Germany
• PMID: 27624552 (Publication Type: Journal Article)