Eka. Millar et al., Mucinous differentiation in colonic adenocarcinoma is associated with a reduction in tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes, EUR J SUR O, 27(3), 2001, pp. 273-277
Aims: The aim of this study was to examine the density of tumour infiltrati
ng lymphocytes (TILs) in colorectal carcinomas showing mucinous differentia
tion.
Methods: We examined 33 adenocarcinomas showing variable mucinous different
iation and compared the density of TILs with that of 65 adenocarcinomas of
no special type (NOS) showing no mucinous differentiation.
Results: Mucinous differentiation is associated with a significantly lower
density of TILs compared to adenocarcinoma NOS (P = 0.0016; chi-squared tes
t with continuity correction). This reduction in TILs is present also in ad
jacent foci of adenocarcinoma NOS within mucinous tumours.
Conclusions: There is a reduction in the number of TILs in all areas of col
orectal adenocarcinomas that show mucinous differentiation, which may help
explain the increased biological aggressiveness associated with this patter
n of differentiation. (C) 2001 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.