Histopathological changes, mucin production and cellular DNA content in rectal mucosa of patients with ulcerative colitis: a comparison between findings in adults and adolescents.

Histopathological examination, specific mucin staining and analysis of cellular DNA content of rectal mucosa were carried out in twenty-eight tissue specimens biopsied from ten adult and eight adolescent patients with ulcerative colitis. There was an increase in proliferative activity in the rectal mucosa in both groups with active colitis, but, there were no significant differences in the potential for malignant transformation of rectal mucosa in these groups.