Apoptosis is a process whereby cells die in a controlled manner, in response to specific stimuli, apparently following an intrinsic program under both normal and neoplastic conditions. Normal tissue apoptosis, in conjunction with mitosis, plays
an
important role in maintaining tissue homeostasis. Although there is little information available regarding the role of apoptosis in neoplasia, recent studies indicate that apoptosis may potentially serve as a prognostic marker for prostate
carcinoma and
high apoptotic indices may be an adverse prognostic factor, independent of histologic grade in malignant non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The present study was designed to determine the clinical significance of the apototic bodies, the correlation between
it and
survival in colorectal cancer patients. Forty-five cases of colorectal cancer were selected. The number of apopttic bodies was expressed as a number per 100 cells of cancer. This process was repeated until up to five fields per focus were
evaluated. The
mean number of the apoptotic bodies was 2.28 in the patients who survive over five years after curative resection and 3.55 in the patients who died within five years. In the patients with Dukes stage B, the mean number of the apoptotic bodies was
2.3 in
the patients who survive over five years and 3.45 in the patients who died within five years(p=0.09). In the patients with Dukes stage C, the mean number of the apoptotic bodies was 2.55 in the patients who survive over five years and 3.48 in the
patients who died within five years(p=0.05). These results suggest that the frequency of apoptotic bodies may be an adverse prognostic factor for colorectal cancer.
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