[Development and expression of p53 in superficial early colorectal carcinoma]

We evaluated the histopathological and immunohistochemical findings of 41 superficial early colorectal carcinomas within 20 mm in diameter and twice of normal mucosa in height for the development. These colorectal cancers were divided into intramucosal carcinoma (21 lesions) and submucosal invasive carcinoma (20 lesions), and classified into two groups: superficial elevated type (25 lesions) and superficial depressed type (16 lesions). The average maximum diameter of superficial elevated type was larger than it of superficial depressed type, furthermore the increase in tumor diameter and the pattern of the overexpression of p53 protein was correlated to the invasivity. On the other hand, we found the submucosal invasion and the overexpression of p53 protein in the smaller depressed type carcinoma. Considering the circumstances mentioned above, we recognized the different development between superficial elevated type and superficial depressed type in the superficial early colon cancer, and thought superficial depressed type was more invasive.