Stomach

Abstract

Stomach specimens come in a variety of shapes and sizes depending on the pathologic process for which the stomach is removed. For example, a small portion of stomach may be removed for peptic ulcer disease, while the entire stomach and even adjacent organs can be resected when an infiltrating cancer is present. Regardless of the specimen’s size and shape, a wise approach is to regard every stomach resection as though it potentially harbors a malignant neoplasm. Do not be betrayed by the innocent-looking ulcer. Instead, take care to evaluate the resection margins, adequately sample the lesion, and diligently search for lymph nodes. With this approach, the dissection should always be adequate, even in that rare instance when a carcinoma is incidentally discovered in a benign-appearing ulcer.