Clinicopathological characteristics of mucinous carcinoma of the colon andrectum

Background and Objectives: Clinicopathological significance of colorectal m ucinous carcinoma (MC) remains controversial. The aim of the current study was to investigate the clinicopathological characteristics of colorectal MC . Methods: Eighteen patients with MC and 265 with moderately or well differen tiated adenocarcinoma of the colon and rectum, were clinicopathologically c ompared. Results: MCs occurred in the right colon significantly more frequently than did non-mucinous carcinomas (NMCs). The maximal size of the tumors in MCs (7.0 +/- 2.9 cm) was significantly larger than that in NMCs (5.1 +/- 2.1 cm ) (P < 0.001). Although the ratio of patients with peritoneal metastasis in MCs (22.2%; 4/18) was significantly higher than that in NMCs (6.0%; 16/265 ) (P < 0.05), there was no significant difference regarding liver metastasi s. The proportion of lymph node metastasis in MCs (72.2%; 13/18) was signif icantly higher than that in NMCs (44.9%; 119/265) (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference regarding the lymphatic and venous invasion. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates of patients with MCs were 77.8%, 45.4%, and 30.3%, respectively, and were significantly lower than those in patients wi th NMCs, that were 88.9%, 65.6%, and 60.8%, respectively (P < 0.05). Conclusions: As colorectal MCs proliferate and metastasize more rapidly tha n do NMCs, surgeons should realize that more aggressive surgical treatment should be occasionally administered to improve the postoperative prognosis of the patients with colorectal MCs. J. Surg. Oncol. 2000;75:103-107. (C) 2 000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.