One hundred and ten cases of early gastric carcinoma (EGC) are analysed pathologically.All cases were operated during the years of 1973-1987 in PLA General Hospital.The rate of EGC in operated gastric cancer cases was about 10% in average.However it was 20.6% in 1987.It occurs frequently among the people over the age of 50 and is usually located at the pyloric antrum.The macroscopica-lly,depressed type (68%) is predominat.The elevated type constitutes only 13.5% of all cases.Histolo-gically,nearly all of the elevated lesions are well differentiated carcinomas,while the majority of the depressed lesions are less or poorly differentiated.It is possible that most of the depressed lesions are the result of the erosion of the neoplastic epithelium by gastric juice.Ulcer cancer is very rare.To examine the specimen carefully and comperhensively is very important in verifying an EGC.The follow-up of the initial 12 cases for a period of about 10 years reveals that there has been no death from gastric cancer.Since patient with EGC who has been operated upon,particularly the elderly,may die of other disease,it is suggested that the prognosis in regard to the gastric carcinoma of the dead should be judged according to the autopsy report.