Objective To observe the histopathological changes of tumor tissue after intraoperative regional chemotherapy of rectal cancer. Methods After the treatment of intraoperative regional chemotherapy with 5-FU (15 mg/kg)， the histopathological changes of tumor tissue were detected. Results Slight changes with cancer cells in all the cases accepted intraoperative regional chemotherapy were found under light microscope such as karyopyknosis, nuclear swelling, coagulation and necrosis of cytoplasm, hydropsia of intercellular substance, invasion of inflammatory cells, and 9/15 cases with slight inflammation of vessels were observed; While those changes were found in individual cells of the cases without regional chemotherapy. The more enlarged intercellular space of cancer cell was observed under electron microscope in the case with regional chemotherapy. Conclusion The intraoperative regional chemotherapy of rectal tumor can change the histopathological appearance of tumor tissue, that is significant in preventing cancer cells diffusing during operation and relapsing after operation.
ObjectiveTo detect 5-FU concentration and investigate the changes of pathology， and Ki-67 protein expression after intraoperative regional chemotherapy (RC) for colon cancer. MethodsAll the patients were randomized into two groups: RC group (n=20), received intraoperational RC with 100 ml physiological saline contained 5-FU (15 mg/kg) and camptothecine (0.06 mg/kg)； control group (n=20), saline alone. The samples from portal vein blood, peripheral blood, peritoneal fluid， and peri-cancerous tissues in RC group were taken to detect the 5-FU concentration by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), respectively at 2, 5, 10, 20, 30, and 60 minutes after treatment. The pathological changes were observed and Ki-67 protein expressions were examined by immunohistochemical staining for all the cancer tissues postoperatively in two groups. ResultsPeak concentration of 5-FU appeared at 2 min after treatment, and decreased gradually. 5-FU concentration in peritoneal fluid was the highest, and the lowest in the peripheral blood (Plt;0.01). In RC group， light karyopyknosis, nuclear swelling, and coagulative necrosis of cancer cells, and light intercellular substance hydropsia, inflammatory cells invasion were observed under light microscopic examination; light vasculitis presented also in five cases. Nuclear swelling, heterochromatin agglutination, perinuclear gap expansion, mitochondrial swelling, endoplasmic reticulum expansion, and Golgi complex expansion were observed with transmission electron microscope. Ki-67 protein expression of colon cance tissues in RC group was lower than that in control group （Plt;0.05）. Conclusions Intraoperative RC for colon cancer may sustain a high concentration of chemotherapy drugs in peritoneal fluid and portal vein blood, and alter histopathological morphology of cancer cells, and suppress Ki-67 protein expression. So, intraoperative RC may play an important role in preventing intraoperative spreading and postoperative recurrence of colon cancer.