MICROSATELLITE INSTABILITY IN JAPANESE COLORECTAL-CARCINOMA

Recent studies have shown that microsatellite instability (MSI) play a n important role in the development of various types of cancer. To cla rify the clinicopathologic significance of MSI in colorectal carcinoma (CRC), the presence of MSI was examined in 54 Japanese cases of CRC u sing the polymerase chain reaction-based method. The incidence of MSI in CRC cases was 13 out of 54 cases (24%). CRC with MSI also showed a significant tendency not to have lymph node metastasis (P<0.05), altho ugh neither the survival nor the prognosis of the cases examined in th is study were available due to the short period of follow-up. The pres ent study showed that the incidence of MSI in Japanese CRC was 24% and suggests that CRC with MSI may behave in a less malignant manner.