title: Human chorionic gonadotropin in colorectal carcinoma. An immunohistochemical study.
abstract: To assess the biological significance of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) detection in large bowel carcinomas, we have studied immunohistochemically 50 colorectal carcinomas, 20 adenomas, 8 ulcerative colitis, and 10 normal colonic mucosae. The HCG-immunoreactive cells were found in 26 carcinomas (52%). Positivity was not detected in any normal mucosa or benign lesions. Cells containing HCG predominated in mucinous (80%) and poorly differentiated carcinomas (92%). No trophoblastic differentiation could be demonstrated in any tumor. Human chorionic gonadotropin was detected more frequently in carcinomas invading the entire bowel wall (67%) than in those confined to the submucosa or muscularis propria (30%). Fifteen of 19 cases (79%) with lymph node and/or hepatic metastases had HCG in the primary tumor, whereas only 9 of 23 cases (32%) without metastases showed HCG immunoreactivity. The eight patients with hepatic metastases had HCG in the primary tumor. Thus, the immunohistochemical detection of HCG in colorectal carcinomas may be a biological marker of prognostic significance.
mesh_terms: D002277:Carcinoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000378:metabolism*; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin