[Cell proliferation of the intestinal mucosa in patients with familial adenomatosis coli. Autoradiography study].

In connection with routine endoscopic examinations of 31 patients with familial adenomatosis coli and 28 healthy kindreds of patients with familial adenomatosis coli we investigated by autoradiography the in vitro incorporation of 3H-thymidine into bioptic mucosal particles from colon and adenomas. Within the 5-year follow-up period there was found a significantly increased labelling index of polyps and the surrounding mucosa in patients with polyposis independing on the time elapsed after operation. In 12 of 28 kindreds the histological normal colonic mucosa showed an increased labelling index too. The prognostic value of these results must be proved by further controls.