The authors examined 25 minute early
gastric cancers (EGC) and 13 small EGC in order to
investigate the incidence and possible causes for the
infiltration of eosinophils. The degree of eosinophil
infiltration was higher in tumour stroma than in adjacent
normal-appearing mucosa; this correlation was
statistically significant (P < 0.001). Tumour-associated
tissue eosinophilia (TATE) was not correlated with size,
histological type, necrosis of the tumour nor gastritis
activity in adjacent non-tumoral mucosa. Electron
microscopy, performed in 4 cases of small EGC, showed
tumour stromal eosinophils with morphological evidence
of activation similar to those described for tissue
eosinophils in various disorders. Some tumour cells in
intimate contact with activated eosinophils exhibited
foca1 cytopathic changes. TATE represents local
inflammation probably leading to tumour cell damage.
The immunological role of the eosinophils against
tumour cells in vivo deserves further investigation