NATURAL-HISTORY OF COLORECTAL-CARCINOMA - CAN THE TUMOR VOLUME DOUBLING TIME BE PREDICTED BY RADIOLOGIC FINDINGS OR IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL VARIABLES

Background and Objectives: The factors influencing the growth rate of colorectal carcinoma have not been determined. The aim of this study w as to clarify the relationship between the doubling time (DT), morphol ogy, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen, Ki-67 and p53 immunohisto chemistry in colorectal carcinoma. Methods: Thirty-three patients (37 lesions) were studied retrospectively. The DT was calculated and corre lated with the initial and final tumor size, morphologic shape, and im munohistochemical results. Results: The DT ranged from 2.4 to 48.0 mon ths (mean: 12.0 months). The mean DT of the early-stage carcinomas was significantly longer than that of the advanced carcinomas. In the lat ter group, both slowly growing and rapidly growing tumors were observe d. The DT showed no correlation with the initial or final size and sha pe of the tumors on radiographs, or with the immunohistochemical resul ts. Conclusions: Our data revealed that it is not possible to evaluate the growth rate of colorectal carcinomas based on their morphological shape, cellular proliferative activity, or tumor suppressor gene acti vity. J. Surg. Oncol. 1998;68:215-224. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.