Natural history of colorectal carcinoma: can the tumor volume doubling time be predicted by radiologic findings or immunohistochemical variables?
OBJECTIVE
The factors influencing the growth rate of colorectal carcinoma have not been determined. The aim of this study was to clarify the relationship between the doubling time (DT), morphology, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen, Ki-67 and p53 immunohistochemistry in colorectal carcinoma.


METHODS
Thirty-three patients (37 lesions) were studied retrospectively. The DT was calculated and correlated with the initial and final tumor size, morphologic shape, and immunohistochemical results.


RESULTS
The DT ranged from 2.4 to 48.0 months (mean: 12.0 months). The mean DT of the early-stage carcinomas was significantly longer than that of the advanced carcinomas. In the latter group, both slowly growing and rapidly growing tumors were observed. The DT showed no correlation with the initial or final size and shape of the tumors on radiographs, or with the immunohistochemical results.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data revealed that it is not possible to evaluate the growth rate of colorectal carcinomas based on their morphological shape, cellular proliferative activity, or tumor suppressor gene activity.
Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
I
I
Iwashita
T
T
Ueyama
A
A
Iwashita
K
K
Kawamoto
S
S
Kitagawa
M
M
Motooka
T
T
Utsunomiya
K
K
Masuda
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002455:Cell Division; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000032:analysis*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / Q000032:analysis*; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000032:analysis*
D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53