Image Description
Intestinal metaplasia with mucin extravasation. Note the complete lack of cytologic atypia within the glands. Increased mitotic activity and necrosis are also absent. In contrast, cases of well-differentiated adenocarcinoma will show overt malignant features at least focally. The extravasated mucin in well-differentiated adenocarcinomas also tends to involve muscularis propria more extensively. Intestinal metaplasia is considered by some to be a risk factor for subsequent development of adenocarcinoma.