Session 5: Morphology and pathogenesis of endocrine hyperplasias, precarcinoid lesions, and carcinoids arising in chronic atrophic gastritis

Solcia E, Fiocca R, Villani L, Gianatti A, Cornaggia M, Chiaravalli A, Curzio M, Capella C. Morphology and pathogenesis of endocrine hyperplasias, precarcinoid lesions, and carcinoids arising in chronic atrophic gastritis. Scand J Gastroenterol 1991, 26(suppl 180), 146-159 The spectrum of endocrine cell changes occurring in 80 cases of body-fundus chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG), mostly type A or multifocal, including various types of hyperplasia, precarcinoid lesions (20 cases), and neoplasia (carcinoid, 24 cases) have been analyzed histologically, histochemically, and ultrastructurally. Changes associated with gland atrophy, pyloric- or intestinal-type metaplasia, regenerative hyperplasia, and hypergastrinemia have been identified and their neoplastic potential evaluated in the light of their proliferative capacity (bromodeoxyuridine incorporation) and clinicopathologic behavior. A close link between disseminated precarcinoid lesions of non-tumor mucosa and multiple carcinoids (carcinoidosis) arising in hypergastrinemic type-A CAG is suggested. Hyperplastic changes. including endocrine cell clusters. seem to have no or only minimal neoplastic potential.