The problem of gastric cancer, with its multifaceted aspects, offers an example of diversified oncological research, which includes epidemiology, pathogenesis, histo­ morphology, surgical and conservative therapy in its spectrum. This disease not only constitutes an interesting and important subject for research, but it is also a challenge for the practitioner due to its inordinately poor prognosis. It therefore appeared a rewarding task to the editors to collect information from individual experts, in order to gain a topical summary of the problems pertaining to gastric cancer, as well as to provide a survey of the progress and the therapeutic possibilities in this field. This task was particularly enticing, as gastric cancer has lately come to belong to those tumors somewhat relegated to the shadows, although it is, despite its decreased fre­ quency in some western countries, still one of the most prevalent malignant diseases. This collection should emphasize the need for broadly based knowledge of individual problems as a prerequisite for any satisfactory therapy of an organ tumor. It is therefore the primary concern of this book to furnish anyone with an interest in oncology with this necessary survey. The editors thank Mrs. Karin Dohmeier and Mrs. Karin Kluge from Springer-Verlag for their cooperation in preparing this monograph. We extend our thanks to Mrs. Susanne Schenk and Mrs. Marga Wild, who contributed so much by her secretarial experience for the success of this volume. lJIm,September1979 Ch. Herfarth P. Schlag Table of Contents 1 Epidemiology and Pathogenesis . . . . . . . . . . .