• W M de Silva.
• Whittington Hospital, London, UK.
• Ceylon Med J. 1999 Dec 1; 44 (4): 162-5.

ObjectiveTo determine the prevalence of microsatellite instability in patients with metachronous colorectal cancer as a potential marker for identification of high risk individuals.SettingSurgical research laboratory, Whittington Hospital, Highgate Hill, London.Subjects And Methods37 colorectal tumours from 18 individuals with metachronous colorectal cancers were investigated at five microsatellite loci by single stranded conformational polymorphism (SSCP) analysis. A control group of 11 individuals who had developed one sporadic colorectal cancer each were also similarly analysed.MeasurementsTumour microsatellite instability was defined as the appearance of new polymarase chain reaction (PCR) bands, either larger or smaller than those produced from the normal mucosa.Results27 of the total of 37 metachronous cancer specimens PCR amplified successfully. Microsatellite instability was demonstrated in 59.3% (16/27) of individuals with metachronous tumours. None of the tumours in the control group showed microsatellite instability.ConclusionsThese results suggest that individuals with colorectal cancer with replication errors are at a greater risk of developing metachronous colorectal cancer than those without replication errors.

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