title: Diminutive polyps of large bowel should be an early target for endoscopic treatment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Aim of the present study is to ascertain the importance of diminutive colorectal polyps and define the need for removal according to their characteristics and malignant potential.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 4,723 patients who underwent colonoscopy were evaluated and 624 patients with 826 polyps were recorded. There were 352 patients with 443 diminutive polyps, studied according to their distribution. Of these, 371 were removed, histologically examined and correlated to patient characteristics and occurrence of synchronous neoplasms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the right colon polyps, 81/115 were diminutive, versus 362/711 of the left colon (p<0.0001). Adenomas were more common in patients over 50 years of age, (p<0.0001). In all colonic segments, diminutive adenomas prevailed over hyperplastic polyps, whereas the proportion of diminutive adenomas predominated in the right colon (p=0.0015). Adenomas were classified as tubular 39%, tubulovillous 55.7% and villous 5.3%. The degree of dysplasia was mild in 45.5%, moderate in 51% and severe in 3.5%. The prevalence of synchronous neoplasms was 37.4%. They were more frequently found in males over 50 years of age and in patients with diminutive adenomas compared to those with diminutive hyperplastic polyps (p=0.0078).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The majority of right colon polyps are diminutive. The proportion of diminutive adenomas is higher in patients over 50 years and in the right vs left colon. Diminutive polyps should be removed taking into account the high prevalence of adenomas with a villous component and their significant degree of dysplasia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, University Hospital of Crete, Greece. kapsoritakis@her.forthnet.gr
authors.forename: A N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Kapsoritakis
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Potamianos
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Koukourakis
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tzardi
authors.forename: I A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Mouzas
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roussomoustakaki
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Alexandrakis
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Kouroumalis
mesh_terms: D011125:Adenomatous Polyposis Coli / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D000368:Aged; D003111:Colonic Polyps / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D003113:Colonoscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged