Benign (nonpolypoid) mucosal changes adjacent to carcinomas of the colon. A light microscopic study of 20 cases.

Numerous reports deal with the presence or absence of remnants of benign polyps adjacent to colonic carcinomas. Little attention has been paid to light microscopic mucosal alterations of a nonpolypoid nature found adjacent to these neoplasms. The general assumption has been that this mucosa is normal or not significantly altered. In this presentation we describe nonpolypoid mucosal changes found adjacent to 20 randomly selected carcinomas of the colon. We found these changes to be variably but consistently present. Their possible significance is briefly discussed.