title: Incidence and localization of lymphoid follicles in early colorectal neoplasms.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastrointestinal Oncology and Digestive Endoscopy, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8577, Japan. fukuangi@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Kuang-I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sano
authors.forename: Shigeharu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujii
authors.forename: Ikuro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Koba
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoshino
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ochiai
authors.forename: Shigeaki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujimori
mesh_terms: 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