[Relationship between type III intestinal metaplasia, age and gastric cancer. 560 biopsies].
OBJECTIVE
A significant association between type III intestinal metaplasia and gastric adenocarcinoma has been demonstrated in gastrectomy and biopsy series. We investigated the effect of age in a large series of gastric biopsies in order to determine whether this association is age dependent or independent.


METHODS
Histochemistry examinations were performed in 560 gastric biopsies showing intestinal metaplasia. The percentage of type III versus type I/II metaplasia in patients with malignant (n = 41) or benign disease (n = 519) was compared between patients aged 50 to 69 years and patients aged 70 to 89 years.


RESULTS
The prevalence of type III metaplasia increased with age both in malignant (30 vs 61% in the 50-69 and 70-89 year age groups respectively) and benign disease (9 vs 17% respectively). In patients with cancer, type III metaplasia was found more often than type I/II metaplasia (n = 22 vs 19). In the 70-89 year age group, there was a significant difference (p < 0.001) in the percentage of type III metaplasia in patients with cancer (61%) and those with benign disease (17%).


CONCLUSIONS
These findings demonstrate that there is a specific age-independent relationship between intestinal metaplasia and gastric cancer.
Rabouille
Y
Y
Service d'Anatomie et de Cytologie pathologiques, Centre Hospitalier Louis Pasteur, Cherbourg.
Elie
H
H
Challes
C
C
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology*; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008679:Metaplasia / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*
Relation entre la métaplasie intestinale de type III, l'âge et le cancer gastrique. 560 biopsies.