title: Clinical evidence for the adenoma-carcinoma sequence.
abstract: A review is given on evidence supporting or rejecting the hypothesis of a colorectal adenoma-carcinoma sequence. The majority of studies discuss adenomas from a clinical point of view, but pathology has also been considered in detail, and molecular biology has been touched on. It is concluded the adenoma stage is, most probably, a phase on the way to carcinoma. But it remains to be shown what effect the removal of adenomas will have in the long run on the incidence of colorectal carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Odense University Hospital, Department of Surgery, Denmark.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kronborg
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fenger
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D000236:Adenoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D000818:Animals; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000473:pathology*; D003111:Colonic Polyps / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors