Comparative study of familial polyposis coli and nonpolyposis coli on the histogenesis of large-intestinal adenoma

Abstract

The entire length of the large intestine resected from 6 patients with familial polyposis coli (FPC) was step-sectioned and microscopic adenomas composed of one to several glands were prepared into complete serial sections. Histopathologic comparison of these microscopic adenomas was made between FPC and nonpolyposis coli (those not included in the special disease group of FPC). The histogenesis of adenomas in FPC and nonpolyposis coli was considered as follows: in nonpolyposis coli, adenomas arise from basal cells of the deep layer of the mucosa. In FPC, most of the adenomas (81.2%) arise in the same manner as described above, although there are some (18.8%) that appear to have arisen in the middle or superficial layer of the mucosa. The morphologic difference of the large intestinal mucosa between FPC and nonpolyposis coli comes not from the difference in the number of adenomas present but from the difference in the position and/or timing of appearance of adenomas.