Inflammatory infiltration, fibrosis, necrosis and mucinous content in relation to clinicopathological and molecular factors in rectal cancers with or without preoperative radiotherapy

• Published in: Oncology reports Vol. 16; no. 2; pp. 321 - 327
• Main Authors: KNUTSEN, Annica, ADELL, Gunnar, SUN, Xiao-Feng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Athens S.n. 01-08-2006
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Female; Fibrosis; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; Humans; Inflammation - pathology; Male; Medical sciences; MEDICIN; MEDICINE; Middle Aged; Mucins - analysis; Necrosis - pathology; Rectal Neoplasms - pathology; Rectal Neoplasms - radiotherapy; Stomach. Duodenum. Small intestine. Colon. Rectum. Anus; Tumors; prognosis radiotherapy; Prognosis; Rectal cancer; Inflammation; Malignant tumor; Radiotherapy; Necrosis; Cancerology; Treatment; Fibrosis; Digestive diseases; Intestinal disease; Infiltration; Preoperative; Anorectal disease; inflammatory infiltration
• ISSN: 1021-335X; 1791-2431; 1791-2431
• DOI: 10.3892/or.16.2.321

The association between inflammatory infiltration, fibrosis, necrosis and mucinous content in rectal cancers, and their relationship to preoperative radiotherapy (RT) clinicopathological and biological factors (p53, apoptosis and Cox-2) is not fully characterised. We analysed these histopathological parameters and their relationships in rectal cancer patients who participated in a clinical trial of preoperative RT. One hundred and forty-eight preoperative biopsies and 153 surgically resected tumours were examined. Of the surgical specimens, 81 had surgery alone and 72 received RT before surgery. A higher grade of inflammatory infiltration was related to favourable survival in the whole group of patients (p=0.004, for multivariate analysis p=0.01) as well as in the subgroups of patients with (p=0.04) or without RT (p=0.01). After RT, tumours showed a decreased infiltration (p=0.0003) and increased necrosis (p=0.006), strong necrosis was related to favourable survival (p=0.046). Necrosis (p=0.054) and fibrosis (p=0.06) tended to be increased in p53-negative tumours after RT. Inflammatory infiltration was a strong prognostic factor in rectal cancer patients, regardless of RT. RT tended to induce necrosis and fibrosis in p53-negative tumours.