Abstract

Synchronous cancers of the oesophagus and stomach diagnosed in a patient showing pronounced leucocytosis were examined for production of granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) and expression of G-CSF receptor. Whereas enzyme immunoassay of tissue extracts showed that the oesophageal carcinoma produced G-CSF, the gastric cancer did not. However, the gastric tumour showed G-CSF receptor expression on immunohistochemical examination of sections. These findings suggest that the oesophageal cancer promoted gastric cancer growth by paracrine mechanisms involving G-CSF.