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The clinical significance of regional variations in histologic differentiation within carcinomas of the colorectum

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Abstract

The clinical significance of the presence or absence of regional variations in histologic differentiation within a primary colorectal carcinoma was investigated in this study. Regional variations in histologic differentiation were judged to be present when the low power field of a microscope was occupied by cancer tissue cytologically and architecturally different from that of the surrounding area. Regional variations in histologic differentiation were noted in 153 (42%) of 368 primary carcinomas. Carcinomas with regional variations were of an anaplastic histologic type and had a higher incidence of lymph node metastasis and a worse prognosis than those without regional variations. Thus, the histologic diversity within a carcinoma is thought to be important for determining the prognosis of patients with colorectal cancer.

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Kotanagi, H., Fukuoka, T., Shibata, Y. et al. The clinical significance of regional variations in histologic differentiation within carcinomas of the colorectum. Surg Today 23, 407–411 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00309498

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00309498

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