It is well known that germ line mutations in the cis-element of tumor suppressor genes such as mismatch repair (MMR) genes, the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene and the E-cadherin (CDH1) gene are involved in Lynch syndrome, familial adenomatous polyposis and hereditary diffuse gastric cancer, respectively.
These results indicate that disorders in the DNA mismatch repair system, E-cadherin, p53 and APC may be infrequently involved in the carcinogenesis of Japanese FGC.