title: Skin tags--a marker for colon polyps?
abstract: The frequency of colorectal cancer increased during the first half of the twentieth century, but for the last four decades, it appears to have stabilized. Today, the average American has a 5 percent probability of developing colorectal cancer during a 70-year life span. The majority of cases occur in persons aged greater than 50 years; the incidence increases up to age 75 years, after which there is a decline. Etiology is unknown; however, environment, genetics, and carcinogens have been implicated. Genetic relations of skin tags, colon polyps, and colon cancer are a matter of ongoing research. If such relations could be established, it could provide clinicians with a possible additional marker for persons at increased risk of colorectal adenoma and adenocarcinoma. Two cases are presented with a brief review of the literature.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta 30912.
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Varma
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015982:Bias; D015415:Biomarkers; D003111:Colonic Polyps / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers