3-Dimensional reconstruction reveals frequent intraluminal growth of submucosal veins in surgically resected pT1 colorectal cancers
- Author:
Jihyun PARK
1
;
Mi-Ju KIM
;
Yeon Wook KIM
;
Byong-Wook LEE
;
Junyoung SHIN
;
Jinho SHIN
;
Chan-Gi PACK
;
Dong-Hoon YANG
;
Jihun KIM
;
In Ja PARK
;
Ralph H. HRUBAN
;
Seung-Mo HONG
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article
- From:Journal of Pathology and Translational Medicine 2026;60(2):246-262
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: Although venous invasion (VI) is associated with distant metastasis and observed in >50% of pT2–4 colorectal cancers (CRCs), the role of VI in pT1 CRCs is not well-defined. Methods: Thirty-four surgically resected pT1 CRCs were reevaluated for 2-dimensional (2D) VI using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)–stained slides with additional elastic and desmin immunohistochemical staining (cohort A). Additionally, 27 pT1 CRCs without knowing VI status were selected for 3-dimensional (3D) VI evaluation only (cohort B). All 61 cases (cohorts A and B) were studied in 3D using tissue clearing. Results: VI was detected more commonly in 3D (17/34, 50.0%) than in 2D H&E slide evaluation (9/34, 26.5%, p = .047). When VI was identified in 3D (27/61, 44.3%), the most common phase was that of intraluminal growth (22/27, 81.5%), followed by intravasation (7/27, 25.9%) and extravasation (5/27, 18.5%). E-cadherin expression was characterized in 3D in foci of VI and varied in each phase of invasion. Conclusions: All three phases were observed in VI of pT1 CRCs. The extravasation of neoplastic cells from foci of VI in pT1 CRC suggests that VI could be a route of intratumoral spreading in a subset of pT1 CRCs.
