The value of mucin histochemistry, autoradiography and analysis of cellular DNA content for cancer surveillance in patients with ulcerative colitis.

Although only a small proportion of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) will develop cancer, colorectal carcinoma is still an important complication of UC. Traditionally, histopathological dysplasia has been used as a marker for colorectal carcinogenesis in patients with UC, however, wide within- and between-observer disagreements regarding the grading of dysplasia have become evident of late. Recently, mucin histochemistry, autoradiography and flow cytometric or static cytophotometric DNA analysis have been used for monitoring the development of colorectal carcinoma in patients with UC. A brief review of the recent literatures, however, has disclosed that the value of these modern techniques in the follow up surveillance of patients with UC of long standing is rather limited and that none of these measures should be used in isolation for the early detection of colorectal carcinoma arising in UC, or for selecting candidates for colectomy. Rather, the possible role of these modern techniques appears to be as a tool for elucidating the mechanism of colorectal carcinogenesis in patients with UC.