Características histopatológicas del carcinoma colorrectal con inestabilidad microsatelital (IMS)

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers in the world. Some have a heritable component and are associated with a genetic defect in replication error repair due to MLH1, MSH2, MSH6 and PMS2 genes mutations known as microsatellite instability. This entails a greater predisposition to CRC and other extracolonic cancers including stomach, endometrium, ovary and urinary tract cancers, among other. Thus, it is important to detect histologic microsatellite instability through certain findings such as intraepithelial infiltrating lymphocytes, Crohn-like inflammatory reaction, histologic subtype and anatomical location leading to suspect the presence of genetic alterations. The objective of this article was to examine some features of said variables in detail and highlight the importance of other histopathologic variables with prognostic significance.