The relation between the mucin production and the fibrous reaction was examined in 28 cases of gastric cancer with signet ring cells. Six of twelve cases had tubular adenocarcinomas in the group that the staining intensity ratio of Alcian blue to PAS(A-B/PAS) was less than 0.5. Of the sixteen cases eight had poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas and seven had signet ring cell carcinomas in the group that A-B/PAS was over 0.5. After mucosal replacement by tumour cells, four of six cases showed no fibrosis in the former group and five of seven cases showed submucosal fibrosis in the latter group. Signet ring cells were characterized by their destruction of mucosal architectures. Subsequent submucosal invasion and fibrosis depended on the types of tumour cells; tumour cells having the potential ability to form a gland invaded medullary with scarce fibrosis and those of weak intercellular adhesion invaded separately with interstitial fibrosis.

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