Multiple primary colorectal adenocarcinomas: cytometric DNA ploidy patterns and histopathologic features.

Abstract

The nuclear DNA distribution pattern was studied by means of image cytometry in 18 patients with synchronous and 7 patients with metachronous colorectal adenocarcinomas. About 80 percent of a total number of 53 carcinomas were found to consist of neoplastic cells where the nuclear DNA distribution pattern was of the aneuploid type. In 19 of the 25 patients, all carcinomas in the individual colon had identical nuclear DNA distribution patterns. Aneuploid tumors tended to appear more frequently in the sigmoid colon and the rectum than in the right colon. Carcinomas associated with an adenoma were more common in the rectum and in Dukes' A carcinomas. The results of cytometric assessments of the nuclear DNA ploidy pattern of the neoplastic cells in colorectal carcinomas have previously been found to be an independent prognostic variable. From the observations made in the present study, it is concluded that the cytometric DNA ploidy pattern of multiple primary colorectal carcinomas corresponds to that found in single carcinomas. The similarity between the two groups of cancer patients is also supported by conformity between histopathologic features and prognosis.