Growth patterns of colorectal carcinoma and mucin property of transitional mucosa

Abstract

To examine the relationship of growth pattern of colorectal carcinoma with mucin property and cellular proliferation of transitional mucosa (TM), 49 lesions of colorectal carcinomas invading to the muscularis propria were studied. Growth patterns were classified as polypoid growth (PG), non-polypoid growth (NPG), or intermediate type basically according to Shimoda's classification. Mucin property of TM was examined using HID-AB staining. Cellular proliferation was assessed from PCNA staining. NPG carcinomas were smaller in size, found in younger age, and more often to have lymphnode metastasis than PG carcinoma. Mucin property of TM significantly correlated with growth pattern of carcinoma ; sulphomucin dominance in TM was found in 5 out of 12 PG carcinomas where as it was found in only 1 out of 22 NPG carcinomas. In addition, none of the 8 carcinomas whose TM showed a sulphomucin dominance had lymphnode metastasis. However cellular proliferation in TM did not differ by the growth pattern of carcinoma or the mucin property of TM. Preoperative assessment of the growth pattern of lesions and the mucin property of TM appears to be useful for predicting lymphnode metastasis of colorectal carcinomas invading to the muscularis propria.