CAN PANETH CELL METAPLASIA IN CECUM INDICATE THE PRESENCE OF COLORECTAL EPITHELIAL NEOPLASIA

The main purpose of the present study was to investigate the relations hip between the incidence of Paneth cells in cecal mucosa and the inci dence of colorectal epithelial neoplasias. Using endoscopic biopsy spe cimens, obtained from cecum of 375 subjects in cases of total colonosc opy, we examined the incidence of Paneth cells in the cecal mucosa. In the present study, Paneth cells were present in the human cecal mucos a (47.7%, 179/375 subjects) regardless of age. Paneth cells were found more frequently in the subjects with colorectal epithelial neoplasia (57.3%, 90/157 subjects) than in the subjects without colorectal epith elial neoplasia (40.8%, 89/218 subjects) (p<0.01, chi(2) test). Our re sults suggest that the incidence of Paneth cells in cecal mucosa indic ate some changes in the environment with tumorigenesis of the colorect al region according to the function of Paneth cells, proposed by other investigators.