Slight Mucosal Changes are frequently seen adjacent to a colorectal cancer or adenoma. First described by Shatz BA et al, they are called Chicken Skin Mucosa (CMS), and are supposed to occur as a result of fat accumulation in macrophages in the lamina propria adjacent to colonic neoplasms. In a series of 852 consecutive colonoscopies CMS was found adjacent to eight of 10 distal colorectal cancers, one of four of proximal colon cancers and 16 of 42 distal adenomas.

Reference:
Shatz BA, Weinstock LB, Thyssen EP, Mujeeb I, DeSchryver K: Colonic chicken skin mucosa: an endoscopic and histological abnormality adjacent to colonic neoplasms. Am J Gastroenterol 1998 Apr;93(4):623-7
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