Diagnosis of colorectal tumors by the endoscopic Congo red-methylene blue test.

The endoscopic Congo red-methylene blue test was performed on 51 tumors of the large intestine. Results revealed that colorectal adenocarcinomas and adenomas bleached the Congo red and methylene blue sprayed over their surface and so appeared in sharp contrast to the bluish red mucosa of unaffected areas. No bleaching of the dyes was observed on the surface of non-neoplastic polyps. Moderately differentiated adenocarcinomas, submucosal or advanced cancers, and adenomas with severe atypia bleached the dyes most frequently. Thus this test facilitates early detection of colorectal tumors.