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Journal ArticleDOI

Prevention of colorectal cancer by colonoscopic polypectomy. The National Polyp Study Workgroup.

TL;DR: The results of the National Polyp Study support the view that colorectal adenomas progress to adenocarcinomas, as well as the current practice of searching for and removing adenomatous polyps to prevent coloreCTal cancer.
Abstract: Background The current practice of removing adenomatous polyps of the colon and rectum is based on the belief that this will prevent colorectal cancer. To address the hypothesis that colonoscopic polypectomy reduces the incidence of colorectal cancer, we analyzed the results of the National Polyp Study with reference to other published results. Methods The study cohort consisted of 1418 patients who had a complete colonoscopy during which one or more adenomas of the colon or rectum were removed. The patients subsequently underwent periodic colonoscopy during an average follow-up of 5.9 years, and the incidence of colorectal cancer was ascertained. The incidence rate of colorectal cancer was compared with that in three reference groups, including two cohorts in which colonic polyps were not removed and one general-population registry, after adjustment for sex, age, and polyp size. Results Ninety-seven percent of the patients were followed clinically for a total of 8401 person-years, and 80 percent returned...
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Clinicians should be prepared to offer patients a choice between a screening test that is effective at both early cancer detection and cancer prevention through the detection and removal of polyps and those that can detect cancer early and also can detect adenomatous polyps.

2,876 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Findings support the hypothesis that colonoscopic removal of adenomatous polyps prevents death from colorectal cancer.
Abstract: BACKGROUND In the National Polyp Study (NPS), colorectal cancer was prevented by colonoscopic removal of adenomatous polyps. We evaluated the long-term effect of colonoscopic polypectomy in a study on mortality from colorectal cancer. METHODS We included in this analysis all patients prospectively referred for initial colonoscopy (between 1980 and 1990) at NPS clinical centers who had polyps (adenomas and nonadenomas). The National Death Index was used to identify deaths and to determine the cause of death; follow-up time was as long as 23 years. Mortality from colorectal cancer among patients with adenomas removed was compared with the expected incidence-based mortality from colorectal cancer in the general population, as estimated from the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program, and with the observed mortality from colorectal cancer among patients with nonadenomatous polyps (internal control group). RESULTS Among 2602 patients who had adenomas removed during participation in the study, after a median of 15.8 years, 1246 patients had died from any cause and 12 had died from colorectal cancer. Given an estimated 25.4 expected deaths from colorectal cancer in the general population, the standardized incidence-based mortality ratio was 0.47 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.26 to 0.80) with colonoscopic polypectomy, suggesting a 53% reduction in mortality. Mortality from colorectal cancer was similar among patients with adenomas and those with nonadenomatous polyps during the first 10 years after polypectomy (relative risk, 1.2; 95% CI, 0.1 to 10.6). CONCLUSIONS These findings support the hypothesis that colonoscopic removal of adenomatous polyps prevents death from colorectal cancer. (Funded by the National Cancer Institute and others.)

2,381 citations


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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: These guidelines differ from those published in 1997 in several ways: the screening interval for double contrast barium enema has been shortened to 5 years, and colonoscopy is the preferred test for the diagnostic investigation of patients with findings on screening and for screening patients with a family history of hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer.

2,196 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: CT virtual colonoscopy with the use of a three-dimensional approach is an accurate screening method for the detection of colorectal neoplasia in asymptomatic average-risk adults and compares favorably with optical Colonoscopy in terms of the Detection of clinically relevant lesions.
Abstract: background We evaluated the performance characteristics of computed tomographic (CT) virtual colonoscopy for the detection of colorectal neoplasia in an average-risk screening population. methods A total of 1233 asymptomatic adults (mean age, 57.8 years) underwent same-day virtual and optical colonoscopy. Radiologists used the three-dimensional endoluminal display for the initial detection of polyps on CT virtual colonoscopy. For the initial examination of each colonic segment, the colonoscopists were unaware of the findings on virtual colonoscopy, which were revealed to them before any subsequent reexamination. The sensitivity and specificity of virtual colonoscopy and the sensitivity of optical colonoscopy were calculated with the use of the findings of the final, unblinded optical colonoscopy as the reference standard. results The sensitivity of virtual colonoscopy for adenomatous polyps was 93.8 percent for polyps at least 10 mm in diameter, 93.9 percent for polyps at least 8 mm in diameter, and 88.7 percent for polyps at least 6 mm in diameter. The sensitivity of optical colonoscopy for adenomatous polyps was 87.5 percent, 91.5 percent, and 92.3 percent for the three sizes of polyps, respectively. The specificity of virtual colonoscopy for adenomatous polyps was 96.0 percent for polyps at least 10 mm in diameter, 92.2 percent for polyps at least 8 mm in diameter, and 79.6 percent for polyps at least 6 mm in diameter. Two polyps were malignant; both were detected on virtual colonoscopy, and one of them was missed on optical colonoscopy before the results on virtual colonoscopy were revealed. conclusions CT virtual colonoscopy with the use of a three-dimensional approach is an accurate screening method for the detection of colorectal neoplasia in asymptomatic averagerisk adults and compares favorably with optical colonoscopy in terms of the detection of clinically relevant lesions.

1,865 citations

References
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31 Dec 1980
TL;DR: Statistical methods in cancer research as mentioned in this paper, Statistical Methods in Cancer Research, Statistical methods in Cancer research, Statistical methods for cancer research, کتابخانه مرکزی دانشگاه علوم پزش
Abstract: Statistical methods in cancer research , Statistical methods in cancer research , کتابخانه مرکزی دانشگاه علوم پزشکی تهران

6,164 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Cutting mortality in the annually screened group was accompanied by improved survival in those with colorectal cancer and a shift to detection at an earlier stage of cancer.
Abstract: Background Although tests for occult blood in the feces are widely used to screen for colorectal cancers, there is no conclusive evidence that they reduce mortality from this cause. We evaluated a fecal occult-blood test in a randomized trial and documented its effectiveness. Methods We randomly assigned 46,551 participants 50 to 80 years of age to screening for colorectal cancer once a year, to screening every two years, or to a control group. Participants who were screened submitted six guaiac-impregnated paper slides with two smears from each of three consecutive stools. About 83 percent of the slides were rehydrated. Participants who tested positive underwent a diagnostic evaluation that included colonoscopy. Vital status was ascertained for all participants over 13 years of follow-up. A committee determined causes of death. A single pathologist determined the stage of cancer for each tissue specimen. Differences in mortality from colorectal cancer, the primary study end point, were monitored with the...

3,199 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
01 Dec 1975-Cancer
TL;DR: Evidence is presented which suggests that most cancers of the colon and rectum have evolved through the polyp‐cancer sequence although the majority of adenomas do not become cancerous during a normal adult life span.
Abstract: The malignant potential of adenomas of the colon and rectum varies with size, histological type and grade of epithelial atypia. The adenomatous polyp is usually small and has a low malignant potential, whereas tumors with a villous structure are usually larger and have a much higher cancer rate. Severe atypia is more common in villous adenomas than in adenomatous polyps. Evidence is presented which suggests that most cancers of the colon and rectum have evolved through the polyp-cancer sequence although the majority of adenomas do not becoma cancerous during a normal adult life span. The slow evolution of the polyp-cancer sequence is stressed. The implications of the polyp-cancer sequence for the design of cancer prevention programmes and the study of the aetiology of large bowel cancer are discussed.

1,944 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Screening by sigmoidoscopy can reduce mortality from cancer of the rectum and distal colon and a screening once every 10 years may be nearly as efficacious as more frequent screening.
Abstract: Background The efficacy of sigmoidoscopic screening in reducing mortality from colorectal cancer remains uncertain. A randomized trial would be ideal for clarifying this issue but is very difficult to conduct. Case–control studies provide an alternative method of estimating the efficacy of screening sigmoidoscopy. Methods Using data on the 261 members of the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program who died of cancer of the rectum or distal colon from 1971 to 1988, we examined the use of screening by rigid sigmoidoscopy during the 10 years before the diagnosis and compared it with the use of screening in 868 control subjects matched with the case subjects for age and sex. Results Only 8.8 percent of the case subjects had undergone screening by sigmoidoscopy, as compared with 24.2 percent of the controls (matched odds ratio, 0.30; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.19 to 0.48). Adjustment for potential confounding factors increased the odds ratio to 0.41 (95 percent confidence interval, 0.25 to 0.69)...

1,689 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The long-term risk of colorectal cancer after rigid-instrument sigmoidoscopy and polypectomy in 1618 patients with rectosigmoid adenomas who did not undergo surveillance was assessed, finding that surveillance may not be of value because the risk of cancer is so low.
Abstract: Background and Methods Surveillance by repeated colonoscopy is currently recommended for patients with colorectal adenomas. We assessed the long-term risk of colorectal cancer after rigid-instrument sigmoidoscopy and polypectomy in 1618 patients with rectosigmoid adenomas (tumors of the rectum or distal sigmoid colon) who did not undergo surveillance. A total of 22,462 person-years of observation were accrued (mean, 14 years per patient). Results The incidence of subsequent rectal cancer in these patients was similar to that in the general population (standardized incidence ratio, 1.2; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.7 to 2.1). Most rectal cancers developed in patients whose adenomas had been inadequately removed; the risk was very low after complete removal. The risk of subsequent colon cancer depended on the histologic type, size, and number of adenomas in the rectosigmoid. Among 842 patients with a rectosigmoid adenoma that was tubulovillous, villous, or large (≥1 cm), colon cancer developed...

1,018 citations