Rapid Communication
Copyright ©2005 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Nov 21, 2005; 11(43): 6863-6866
Published online Nov 21, 2005. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v11.i43.6863
Incidence and localization of lymphoid follicles in early colorectal neoplasms
Kuang-I Fu, Yasushi Sano, Shigeharu Kato, Takahiro Fujii, Ikuro Koba, Takayuki Yoshino, Atsushi Ochiai, Shigeaki Yoshida, Takahiro Fujimori
Kuang-I Fu, Yasushi Sano, Shigeharu Kato, Takahiro Fujii, Ikuro Koba, Takayuki Yoshino, Shigeaki Yoshida, Division of Gastrointestinal Oncology and Digestive Endoscopy, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8577, Japan
Atsushi Ochiai, Division of Pathology, National Cancer Center Research Institute East, Kashiwa, Japan
Kuang-I Fu, Takahiro Fujimori, Department of Surgical and Molecular Pathology, Dokkyo University School of Medicine, 880 Kitakobaysashi, Mibu, Shimotuga, Tochigi 321-0293, Japan
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Kuang-I Fu, MD, Department of Surgical and Molecular Pathology, Dokkyo University School of Medicine, 880 Kitakobayashi, Mibu, Shimotuga, Tochigi, 321-0193, Japan. fukuangi@hotmail.com
Telephone: +81-282-86-1111 Fax: +81-282-86-5678
Received: February 21, 2004
Revised: April 1, 2005
Accepted: April 2, 2005
Published online: November 21, 2005
Abstract

AIM: 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.

CONCLUSION: 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.

Keywords: Lymphoid follicle; Early colorectal neoplasm; Carcinogenesis