Mucin abnormality in colonic mucosa in patients with familial polyposis coli

Colonic mucosa of the left colon in 41 patients with familial polyposis coli (FPC) was stained by a periodic acid-thionin Schiff/potassium hydroxide/periodic acid-Schiff method in which the normal colonic mucosa usually stained red and carcinoma stained blue or purple. In FPC 82.9% stained blue or purple whereas 35.5% stained blue or purple in normal controls. The data suggest that sialomucin properties of the flat mucosa surrounding polyps in FPC are different from those of the normal colon and that this simple technique may be useful for the early detection of high-risk family members in the FPC family.