[Colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy: risk of isolated right colon lesions].
BACKGROUND
Colorectal cancer is an important cause of death in western countries. Screening methods are based on flexible sigmoidoscopy, a cheap, effective, and less painful procedure, but some important lesions on the right colon can be missed.


OBJECTIVE
Evaluate how many important lesions would be missed if colonoscopy indicated only for patients with distal lesions identified during flexible sigmoidoscopy.


METHODS
All consecutive colonoscopy performed in the Endoscopy Unit of the Gastroenterology Division of Federal University of São Paulo, SP, Brazil, with polyps and cancer suspicious lesions were reviewed. Patients with a second procedure, inflammatory bowel disease or colonic surgery were excluded.


RESULTS
We reviewed 101 patients with 38 possible cancer lesions and 70 polyps. The mean age was 62 years (SD 13.7 years) and 45 were male. Forty five lesions were in the right colon, namely 23 adenomas, 10 adenocarcinomas, 1 lymphoma and 11 benign lesion. Among such lesions, 28 were isolated in the right colon (16 adenomas and 7 adenocarcinomas).


CONCLUSIONS
In our study 23 patients (22.77%) had adenomas or adenocarcinomas isolated in the right colon, that would be missed if flexible sigmoidoscopy was used alone.
Nakao
F S
FS
Setor de Endocopia Digestiva, Disciplina de Gastroenterologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (EPM-UNIFESP).
Cury
M S
MS
Ferrari
A P
AP
D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D003113:Colonoscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012811:Sigmoid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D012812:Sigmoidoscopy
Colonoscopia ou sigmoidoscopia: risco de lesões isoladas no cólon direito.