Clinicopathologic and immunohistochemistry characterization of synchronous multiple primary gastric adenocarcinoma

The aim of this investigation was to evaluate clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical characteristics of synchronous primary gastric adenocarcinomas. Immunohistochemistry for p53 (suppressor pathway) and for hMLH1, hMSH2, and hMSH6 (mutator pathway) was performed using ABC-technique amplification by biotinylated tyramide. Synchronous primary gastric adenocarcinomas were detected in 19/553 (3.43%) of the patients. The tumors were localized in distal stomach in 22, body in 14, and proximal in five. There was a predominance of intestinal type in the group of synchronic tumors compared to the solitary lesions, 73.2 vs 37.3%, p=0.001. Synchronous neoplasias were diagnosed in earlier stage than solitary neoplasias, T1-T2-60.9% vs T1-T2=28.4%, p=0.0001; and N0=68.4% vs N0=26.2%, p=0.001. p53 was detected in 52.6% of the patients with synchronous tumors. Altered hMLH1 immunoexpression occurred in 26.3% of the patients and hMSH6 in 5.3%. hMSH2 immunoreactivity was positive in all tumors. p53 was solely detected in 17 tumors, while hMLH1 was altered in 10/24 negative p53 tumors, p=0.01. Synchronous gastric adenocarcinomas presented higher frequency of intestinal type and early gastric cancer in comparison to solitary gastric cancer. Two routes of carcinogenesis, mutator, and suppressor appear to be involved independently in the development of synchronous tumors.