title: Morphometric study of uninvolved rectal mucosa 10 cm and 20 cm away from the malignant tumor.
abstract: Recently, many details of the interplay between tumor cells and tumor-associated stromal elements leading to the progression of malignant disease were elucidated. In contrast, little is known about the role of uninvolved stromal tissue in the remote surrounding of the malignant tumor. Therefore, we performed a computer-aided morphometric study of rectal mucosa in samples taken 10 cm and 20 cm away from the malignant tumor during endoscopic examination of 23 patients older than 60 years. The samples of rectal mucosa from 10 healthy persons of corresponding age subjected to diagnostic rectoscopy during active screening for asymptomatic cancer were used as control. All structural elements of the rectal mucosa were studied and the number of nucleated cells in the lamina propria per 0.1 mm² of tissue was assessed. Our study revealed a reduced number of cells in the lamina propria of the rectal mucosa 10 cm and 20 cm away from the tumor lesion in both male and female patients. The decreased mucosal height and increased crypt number were registered in female patients 10 cm away from the tumor. The connective tissue of lamina propria showed a disorderly organization: the collagen fibers were frail, loosely arranged and signs of tissue edema were present. Small blood vessels and capillaries were much more frequently seen than in healthy tissue. Our results demonstrate the complex interactions between the cancer and remote mucosal tissue of the affected organ.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Sanja Z
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Despotović
authors.affiliation: Institute of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Novica M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Milićević
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, and Department of Geriatrics, Zvezdara University Clinical Center, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Dragoslav P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Milosević
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, and Department of Geriatrics, Zvezdara University Clinical Center, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Nebojsa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Despotović
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, and Department of Geriatrics, Zvezdara University Clinical Center, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Predrag
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Erceg
authors.affiliation: Center for Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Zvezdara University Clinical Center, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Bozidar
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bojić
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, and Department of Geriatrics, Zvezdara University Clinical Center, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Danijela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bojić
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, and Department of Geriatrics, Zvezdara University Clinical Center, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Petar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Svorcan
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, Zvezdara University Clinical Center, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Gordana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mihajlović
authors.affiliation: Center for Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Zvezdara University Clinical Center, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Jelena
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dorđević
authors.affiliation: Institute of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Ivana M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Lalić
authors.affiliation: Institute of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia. emilicen@etf.bg.ac.rs.
authors.forename: Zivana
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Milićević
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D012007:Rectum / Q000473:pathology*