Category Archives: Colon

Attenuated Familial Adenomatous Polyposis

Attenuated Familial Adenomatous Polyposis

AFAP (Attenuated)

Genetics:
- mutations in APC gene 5q chromosome, exon 9 (5’, 3’ ends)
- also mutations to MYH (base excision repair gene)

Gross: flat, plaque-like, less than 100, right colon

Histology

- adenomas, may have adenomatous flat epithelium

Clinical: adenocarcinoma later ~55yrs

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Familial Adenomatous Polyposis

Familial Adenomatous Polyposis

Classic Familial Adenomatous Polyposis

Genetics: Autosomal dominant
- mutations in APC gene 5q chromosome
- APC is a tumour suppressor gene
- non-fnxl APC pr- cannot bind B-catenin
- B-catenin binds to Tcf-Lef proteins
- this activates genes involved in proliferation and inhibition of apoptosis

Extracolonic lesions:
- Fundic gland polyps
- Gardner’s syndrome and extra gastrointestinal lesions (desmoid tumors, epidermoid cyst, osteoma)
- Turcot’s syndrome and medulloblastoma

Diagnosis criteria:
a) 100 plus colorectal polyps
b) germ line mutation in APC gene
c) family history of APC
d) at least one of epidermoid cyst, osteoma or desmoid tumor

Gross: sm, lg adenomas, polyps in colon, ­ distally in colon

Histology: adenomas, may have adenomatous flat epithelium

Clinical: – risk of adenocarcinoma is ~100% by age 50

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Sessile Serrated Adenoma

Sessile Serrated Adenoma

- exaggerated serration
- crypt branching
- hypermucinous epithelium
- horizontal extension of the crypt base along the m. mucosa

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Mixed Hyperplastic Adenomatous Polyp

Mixed Hyperplastic Adenomatous Polyp

Gross: small, < 1cm

Histology

- surface epithelial nuclear dysplasia (elongation, increased N/C ratio, nucleoli, atypia) and serration of >20%

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Dysplasia in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Dysplasia in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Clinical: mult biopsy for flat lesions, precedes cancer almost all of the time

Gross appearance: flat, villous or nodular

Histology:

Low grade dysplasia: basal nuclei; mild nuclear (enlargement, crowding and hyperchromasia)

High grade dysplasia: nuclear stratification, nuclei at luminal half, hyperchromasia, pleomorphism; architectural distortion (villous/ nodular)

Indefinite for dysplasia: epithelial changes in a background of active inflammation with regeneration

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Indeterminate Colitis

Indeterminate Colitis

Diagnosis

- cannot distinguish between crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis

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Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative Colitis

Location: rectum, progressing proximally, continuous

Symptoms: relapsing, bloody mucoid diarrhea

Extraintestinal symptoms:
Arthritis (migratory polyarthritis)
Sacroilitis
Ankylosing spondylitis

Progressive sclerosing cholangitis

Complications: perforation, toxic megacolon, carcinoma, lymphoma

Treatment: steroids, surgery eventually

Gross:
- ulcers, inflammatory (pseudo) polyps, diffuse continuous disease in colon from rectum proximally (distal is worse)
- can get backwash ileitis
- mural thickening, serositis

Histology

mucosa:
- inflammation and ulcers, n? with crypt abscesses
- ulceration to submucosa
- features of chronicity
wall and serosa:
- submucosal fibrosis

Dysplasia and carcinoma:
- flat mucosa, poorly differentiated or mucinous carcinoma, high stage

Poor prognosis: young, length of bowel invasion, duration of disease

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Crohns Disease

Crohn’s Disease

Epidemiology:

- associated with HLA DR1/DQw5, white, smokers

Location: throughout GI tract, most common in small bowel and also in colon with rectal sparing

Symptoms: episodic mild diarrhea, pain, blood in stool, mucous in stool

Extraintestinal symptoms:
Arthritis (migratory polyarthritis)
Sacroilitis
Ankylosing spondylitis

Progressive sclerosing cholangitis
Erythema Nodosum

Complications: fibrosing strictures; fistulas to bowel, bladder, vagina and perianal skin; protein losing enteropathy, malabsorption, Vitamin B12 deficiency, bile salt malabsorption with steatorrhea, carcinoma

Treatment: steroids, surgery eventually

Gross appearance:
mucosa: aphthous and linear ulcers, skip lesions (sharp demarcation), cobblestone
wall: edema, thickening, fibrosis,
serosa: sinus tracts, fistulae, creeping fat

Histology:
- superficial or deep ulcers, neutrophils within crypt abscesses
- Paneth cell and pyloric gland metaplasia
- features of chronicity
wall and serosa:
- non-necrotizing granulomatous inflammation – may need serial sections to find
- transmural inflammation with lymphoid aggregates
- fibrosis of submucosa, muscularis propria; hyperplasia of muscularis propria
- serositis

Dysplasia and carcinoma:

Poor prognosis: long duration and severe disease

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Inflammatory Bowel Disease Histology

Inflammatory Bowel Disease Histology

- crypt branching
- crypt shortening
- fibrosis
- inflammatory cells
- deep plasma cells
- Paneth cell metaplasia
- crypt distortion and loss

- crypt abscesses

- cryptitis

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Angiodysplasia of the Colon

Angiodysplasia of the Colon

Vascular ectasia of the colon

Clinical presentation: elderly, 20% of lower GI bleeds
- right colon, acquired
Associated with aortic stenosis or von Willebrand disease
Gross appearance: tortuous dilation of submucosal and mucosal blood vessels

Histology

- dilated and thin walled vessels, often with cholesterol emboli

Differential diagnosis

- colonic varices due to portal hypertension

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