[Significance of endocrine cells and their hormones in colorectal cancer].
OBJECTIVE
To analyse the expression and clinical pathologic significance of endocrine cell (EC) and their hormones in colorectal cancer (CC).


METHODS
Chromograin A (CGA) and five kinds of hormones in 117 cases of CC were detected by immunohistochemistry with 13 observed by electron microscopy.


RESULTS
CGA positive cells (EC) occurred in 46 cases (39.3%). 69.2%(27/39) expressed more than one hormone. The lymph node metastasis rate (68.0%) in the EC-positive CC was higher than EC-negative CC (43.7%) (P < 0.05). The incidence of EC(+2) in CC with morderative and poor differentiated (25.5%) was higher than well differentiated (P < 0.05). EC-positive CC gave shorter survival. It's an independent factor for evaluating prognosis in CC. The expression of 5-HT, GLU, GAST and beta-HCG occurred more offen in tumor with moderate and poor differentiation giving poor prognosis (P < 0.05). Cancer cells containing endocrine granules were found in 8 cases of CC by electron microscopy. The two methods were comformable in 92.3%.


CONCLUSIONS
EC-positive CC has poor histological differemtiation, giving rise to more lymph mode metastasis and poor prognosis. Some hormones secreted by EC could partly account for the growth and metastasis of CC.
Yin
J
J
304 Hospital, PLA, Beijing.
Liang
Y
Y
Wang
H
H
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000231:Adenocarcinoma, Papillary / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D018279:Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D053379:Chromogranin A; D002864:Chromogranins / Q000378:metabolism*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D019858:Enteroendocrine Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005934:Glucagon / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D011379:Prognosis; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism
D053379:Chromogranin A; D002864:Chromogranins; D012701:Serotonin; D005934:Glucagon