Incidence of extramural venous invasion in colorectal carcinoma as determined at the invasive tumor front and its prognostic impact.

Extramural venous invasion (EMVI) is prognostic for colorectal cancer; however, veins are only detected partially by normal perpendicular preparation. Therefore, reported findings are conflicting and standardization is required. A total of 239 resection specimens were examined by tangential preparation of the extramural veins at the invasive tumor front.

Tumor budding in colorectal cancer revisited: results of a multicenter interobserver study.

Tumor budding in colorectal cancer (CRC) is recognized as a valuable prognostic factor but its translation into daily histopathology practice has been delayed by lack of agreement on the optimal method of assessment. Within the context of the Swiss Association of Gastrointestinal Pathology (SAGIP), we performed a multicenter interobserver study on tumor budding, comparing hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) with pan-cytokeratin staining using a 10 high power field (10HPF) and hotspot (1HPF) method. Two serial sections of 50 TNM stage II-IV surgically treated CRC were stained for H&E and pan-cytokeratin.

Absence of extramural venous invasion is an excellent predictor of metastasis-free survival in colorectal carcinoma stage II--a study using tangential tissue sectioning.

Aims: Extramural venous invasion (EVI) is an important predictor of haematogenous metastasis in colorectal cancer (CRC). However, remarkable discrepancies in incidence rates indicate major problems regarding EVI assessment. The present prospective study applies tangential vessel preparation to CRC resection specimens and correlates results of EVI with metachronous haematogenous metastatic (MHM) spread.

Different types of K-Ras mutations are conversely associated with overall survival in patients with colorectal cancer.

A glycine to valine substitution at codon 12 (G12V) in Kirsten-Ras (K-Ras) gene has been associated with reduced overall survival in colorectal cancer patients; however, the effect of other K-Ras mutations than G12V still remains unclear. Therefore, we investigated the role of different K-Ras mutations on overall survival in a homogeneous, large patient cohort with standardized therapy and uniform analysis of K-Ras mutation status. The study included 342 patients with histopathologically proven colorectal cancer.

Strictures, diaphragms, erosions or ulcerations of ischemic type in the colon should always prompt consideration of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug-induced lesions.

Aim: To investigate whether NSAIDs/ASA lesions in the colon can histologically be diagnosed on the basis of ischemic necrosis similar to biopsy-based diagnosis of NSAIDs/ASA-induced erosions and ulcers of the stomach.

Methods: In the period between 1997 and 2002, we investigated biopsy materials obtained from 611 patients (415 women, 196 men, average age 60.5 years) with endoscopic focal erosions, ulcerations, strictures or diaphragms in the colon.

Why is the hyperplastic polyp a marker for the precancerous condition of the gastric mucosa?

It is well known from the older literature that gastric carcinomas are more likely to develop in a stomach containing hyperplastic polyps. The reason why such a stomach should represent a precancerous condition is, however, largely unexplained. The aim of this study was to determine the disorders of the gastric mucosa in which hyperplastic polyps occur.