What is the Difference Between Intestinal and Diffuse Gastric Cancer?

Intestinal and diffuse gastric cancer are two distinct types of gastric carcinoma, each with unique characteristics, pathogenesis, biological features, and clinical behavior. The main differences between them include:

1. Histology: Intestinal gastric cancer is characterized by tumor cells that exhibit adhesion, are arranged in tubular or glandular formations, and are often associated with intestinal metaplasia. Diffuse gastric cancer, on the other hand, is characterized by tumor cells that lack adhesion and are arranged in sheets of cells without gland formation.
2. Epidemiology: Intestinal gastric cancer is more prevalent in high-risk areas, while the diffuse type is more prevalent in low-risk areas. Intestinal gastric cancer more commonly occurs in elderly male patients, affects the gastric antrum, and exhibits a longer course and better prognosis. Diffuse gastric cancer is associated with younger age, exhibits a predilection for females, and usually affects the body of the stomach, presenting shorter duration and worse prognosis compared with the intestinal type.
3. Prognosis: Diffuse gastric cancer is highly metastatic and characterized by rapid disease progression and a poor prognosis. Intestinal gastric cancer, however, shows a better prognosis.
4. Apoptosis-related protein expression: Diffuse type gastric carcinomas have a different expression of apoptosis-related proteins compared to intestinal type gastric carcinomas. For example, diffuse type carcinomas have a higher expression of Fas and Bcl-xl.
5. Metastatic behavior: Clinically, the two histotypes of gastric cancer have a different pattern of metastatic spread. Intestinal gastric cancer is associated with lymphatic or vascular invasion, and the lesions are scattered in distant positions.

In summary, intestinal and diffuse gastric cancers differ in their histology, epidemiology, prognosis, apoptosis-related protein expression, and metastatic behavior. These differences have implications for diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis for patients with gastric cancer.

Comparative Table: Intestinal vs Diffuse Gastric Cancer

Intestinal and diffuse gastric cancers are two main types of gastric cancer, which can be distinguished by their histological, molecular, and clinical features. Here is a table summarizing the differences between the two types:

Intestinal gastric cancers are characterized by gland-forming cohesive cells and well-differentiated cells that resemble normal cells. These cancers typically develop in the lower part of the stomach and often have an extended survival rate. On the other hand, diffuse gastric cancers are characterized by their noncohesive cells and poorly differentiated cells. They tend to occur more frequently in the cardia region of the stomach and have a worse prognosis.