| Abstract: | Abstract: Carcinoma of the gastric remnant is thought to occur more commonly in the stomal than in the other areas, particularly following Billroth II surgery (BII). An attempt was made to determine the status of cell kinetics in the gastric remnant using endoscopically biopsied specimens, with assay of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity and flow cytometric analysis of the cell cycle parameters. Fifty-two partially gastrectomized patients were studied. Significantly higher ODC activity was recognized in the stomal mucosa than in the greater curvature; this difference was especially pronounced for the group of BII patients. The S-phase cell percentage was also significantly higher in the stomal area than in the greater curvature; this was particularly so in the patients who had undergone BII 5 or more years prior to this study. Our results suggest that activation of cell proliferation is present in the stomal area of the gastric remnant following BII surgery. This activation increased with time following surgery. Activation of cell proliferation occurred in association with histological changes in the stomal glands, and may play a role in carcinogenesis within the gastric remnant. |
