title: Colonoscopic screening of asymptomatic patients with a family history of colon cancer.
abstract: The records of 201 asymptomatic patients who underwent colonoscopy based solely on a family history of colon cancer were reviewed. Eighty-five patients (42 percent) had a total of 166 lesions. Fifty-four (27 percent) patients of the screened population had neoplastic lesions, while 31 (15 percent) patients had nonneoplastic polyps. Four carcinomas were found. Twenty-five of the patients with polyps (29 percent) had no polyps distal to the splenic flexure; these proximal polyps (and two carcinomas) would have been missed on screening with fiberoptic sigmoidoscopy. Nineteen of these 25 patients had polyps smaller than 0.5 cm, which likely would have been missed with contrast enemas. Almost one half (47 percent) of all polyps discovered at screening colonoscopy were proximal to the descending colon. Only one patient younger than 40 years old had adenomas. The yield of polyps and cancer in patients with familial risk indicates screening colonoscopy should be considered after age 40.
authors.affiliation: Department of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Ochsner Clinic, New Orleans, Louisiana 70121.
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Gathright
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Timmcke
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Hicks
authors.forename: B T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Ray
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control; D003111:Colonic Polyps / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003113:Colonoscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D010375:Pedigree; D012307:Risk Factors