Mucinous Adenocarcinoma of the Colon and Rectum
Differential Diagnosis
| Benign Extravasation of Mucin |
Colorectal Mucinous Adenocarcinoma |
| Usually associated with a benign lesion |
Usually has at least areas of usual adenocarcinoma |
| Usually very few epithelial cells in the pools |
Usually areas with increased cellularity within the pools |
| Epithelium usually limited to the point of rupture |
Usually epithelium is too widespread to be explained by rupture |
| Epithelial cells present do not show clear evidence of malignancy |
Epithelial cells may show marked cytologic atypia or cribriform architecture |
| Usually focal and superficial |
Usually aggressively dissecting into bowel wall |
| Frequently associated with inflammation and hemorrhage |
Usually no inflammation or hemorrhage |
The presence of a mucin pool at the base of a GI epithelial neoplasm should prompt a careful examination for mucinous carcinoma
