Early detection of malignancy in ulcerative colitis. A flow-cytometric DNA study

The cellular DNA content in colorectal biopsies from 51 patients with chronic ulcerative colitis has been studied with flow-cytometric technique. The DNA pattern has been related to the duration of the disease, and to histopathology. Aneuploid cell lines were found in eight patients, two of which had histopathologically verified malignancies. Aneuploid cell lines were found in 2% of biopsies from mucosa classified as normal, in 10% of biopsies with inflammation, hyperplasia or atrophy, in 25% of polyps and in biopsies with dysplasia and in seven of eight biopsies from adenocarcinomas. Four of 27 cases with 11 to 20 years duration of disease, and 4 of 10 with more than 20 years disease, had aneuploid cell lines. Combined with colonoscopy the flow-cytometric technique can routinely be used in the follow-up of patients with ulcerative colitis in screening for malignant cell lines.