# PATHOLOGY OF COLON CANCER

> **NIH NIH R01** · CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY · 1987 · $99,287

## Abstract

Most therapeutic decisions which affect the survival of patients with
cancer are made based on data available at the time of the initial
diagnosis.  In general, the pathological analysis of colonic carcinomas is
focused on the behavior and morphology of the epithelial components of the
tumor, and the cytologic appearance of malignant cells has been emphasized
with relatively less attention being given to stromal cells in the training
of pathologists.  We hope to extend the information which can be obtained
from the study of the stromal cells from human colonic carcinomas.  The
specific aims of this proposal are:  1) to determine the numbers of
malignant cells and host cells of each type in primary, human colonic
carcinomas with morphometric techniques; (2) to compare the number and
proportion of malignant and host cells available in the tumors with those
which are actually obtained in suspension; (3) to purify in the new TZ-28
reorienting zonal rotor lymphocytes, plasma cells, macrophages,
granulocytes, and malignant cells from these tumors; and (4) to attempt to
correlate numbers and distributions of individual kinds of host cells with
(a) the stage of the disease at the time of diagnosis and (b) the survival
of the patient.  These correlations will be made prospectively.  One of our
long-term goals will be a functional study of individual kinds of stromal
cells from human colonic carcinomas.  I am particulary interested in the
function of plasma cells which are quite numerous in a subpopulation of
these tumors.  To my knowledge, nobody has investigated whether or not the
antibodies in the plasma cells in these tumors are directed against the
tumors.  Specific functional studies will depend upon the purification of
large numbers of single kinds of stromal cells.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3174047
- **Project number:** 5R01CA036467-04
- **Recipient organization:** CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY
- **SAM.gov UEI:** HJMKEF7EJW69
- **Principal Investigator:** THOMAS G PRETLOW
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1987
- **Award amount:** $99,287
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1983-07-01 → 1989-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3174047

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3174047, PATHOLOGY OF COLON CANCER (5R01CA036467-04). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-26 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3174047. Licensed CC0.

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