Tissue CEA determination and cytophotometric DNA analysis of colorectal mucosa in patients with colorectal cancer.

Determination of tissue CEA content and cytophotometric DNA analysis of colorectal mucosa were carried out in 45 patients. Tissue CEA content in mucosa of tumor-bearing patients was significantly higher than in mucosa of the controls. In mucosa of the patients, tissue CEA content of transitional mucosa was significantly higher than that of background mucosa. Cytophotometric DNA analysis of colorectal mucosa disclosed that over 3c cells were not found in the upper third of the crypt in the controls, whereas appearance of these cells in the luminal surface of the crypt was characteristic in tumor-bearing patients. The population of over 3c cells in the upper third of the crypt was significantly larger in patients with multiple cancers or cancer accompanied by adenomas, than in the patients with solitary colorectal cancer.