There was a significant difference in the proliferation, apoptosis, angiogenesis, mucin secretion, and cell adhesion between the IT and DT carcinomas, whereas only a few characteristics were differentially detected in the intestinal and diffuse component of the mixed-type carcinoma, suggesting that different components of MT carcinoma might originate from common stem cells, but follow distinct histogenic pathways. Here, MUC5AC is linked to cancer.