Microsatellite instability in gastric cancer and pre-cancerous lesions.

Aim: To investigate the microsatellite instability (MSI) in cancer and pre-cancerous lesions of the stomach and its mechanisms underlying the development of gastric cancer.

Methods: Thirty-six gastric cancer samples were obtained from patients undergoing surgery. Forty-one gastric mucosa samples with dysplasia and 51 with intestinal metaplasia (IM) were obtained from patients with chronic gastritis undergoing gastro-endoscopy.