The patients were divided into five groups according to type of cancer: signet-ring cell carcinoma (with > 50% signet-ring cell, n = 36), partial signet-ring cell carcinoma (with < 50% signet-ring cell, n = 28), mucinous adenocarcinoma (with > 50% mucin lacking signet-ring cell, n = 267), partial mucinous adenocarcinoma (with < 50% mucin lacking signet-ring cell, n = 145), and classic adenocarcinoma (with absence of either mucin or signet-ring cell, n = 1978). The gene discussed is MUC5AC; the disease is cancer.