Incidence and localization of lymphoid follicles in early colorectal neoplasms.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the incidence and localizations of lymphoid follicles (LFs) in early colorectal neoplasms in human beings.


METHODS
From July 1992 to September 1999, a total of 1,324 early colorectal neoplasms were removed endoscopically or surgically at our hospital; 1,031 (77.9%) were available for analysis in this study. Localization of LFs was defined histologically: as submucosal LFs, if located under the muscularis mucosa; and as intramucosal LFs, if located across or over the muscularis mucosa.


RESULTS
Histologically, the materials included 903 intramucosal neoplasms and 128 submucosal cancers. Overall incidence of LFs was 27.2% (280/1 031). The incidence of LFs was significantly higher in females (33.6% vs 24.9%, P=0.0064), the right-sided colon (32.2% vs 25.6%, P=0.0403) and in flat or depressed type lesions (34.6% vs 25.2%, P<0.0001) as compared to males, left-sided colon and protruding type lesions, respectively. The incidences of intramucosal neoplasms and submucosal cancers were 24.3% and 43.8%, respectively (P<0.0001). Localizations of LFs (intramucosal LF/submucosal LF) in depressed, flat, and protruding types were 1/24, 14/36, and 131/74, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The incidence of LFs in early human colorectal neoplasms significantly differs by gender, location, macroscopic type, and histology. Moreover, localization significantly differs by macroscopic type.
Fu
Kuang-I
KI
Division of Gastrointestinal Oncology and Digestive Endoscopy, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8577, Japan. fukuangi@hotmail.com
Sano
Yasushi
Y
Kato
Shigeharu
S
Fujii
Takahiro
T
Koba
Ikuro
I
Yoshino
Takayuki
T
Ochiai
Atsushi
A
Yoshida
Shigeaki
S
Fujimori
Takahiro
T
D000818:Animals; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies