title: Inhibitory effect of calcium on carcinogenesis at the site of colonic anastomosis: an experimental study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A study was made to assess the effect of oral calcium supplementation on colorectal carcinogenesis at the colocolic suture line and in the rest of the colon following administration of a carcinogen.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-nine rats were randomly divided into two groups: control (given a standard diet for rats and mice containing 0.8 percent calcium) and treatment (given the same diet as before but with 2 percent calcium). Carcinogenesis was induced by 26 weekly injections of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine. All animals were subjected to an end-to-end colonic anastomosis at the beginning of the experiment using five stitches of steel wire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The control group developed significantly more tumors per animal at both the anastomosis (P < 0.001) and in the rest of the colon (P < 0.001). In addition, the percentage of rats with tumors was significantly higher in the control group at both the anastomosis (chi-squared = 12; df = 1, P < 0.001) and in the rest of the colon (chi-squared = 7.12; df = 1, P < 0.01). The mean surface of tumors was likewise greater in the control group at the anastomosis (P < 0.001) and throughout the rest of the colon (P < 0.001). Finally, there were significantly more small-bowel tumors (excluding the duodenum) in the control group (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is concluded that calcium supplementation decreases the tumor yield at the site of end-to-end colonic anastomosis and in the rest of the colon and small bowel (excluding the duodenum).
authors.affiliation: Service of Surgery, Castellón General Hospital, Spain.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Adell-Carceller
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Segarra-Soria
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gibert-Jerez
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Salvador Sanchís
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lázaro-Santander
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Escrig-Sos
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Castillo
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D000818:Animals; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003106:Colon / Q000187:drug effects / Q000601:surgery*; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013193:Stainless Steel; D013537:Sutures
chemical_list: D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D013193:Stainless Steel