title: First-degree relatives of patients with advanced colorectal adenomas have an increased prevalence of colorectal cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The risk of colorectal cancer in relatives of patients with adenomatous colonic polyps is not well defined. This study assessed whether finding colonic neoplasia during screening colonoscopy was related to the family history of colorectal cancer among the participants' parents and siblings.
  
  
  METHODS
  Self-reported family history of colorectal cancer was recorded for all participants in a screening colonoscopy study. The size and location of all polyps were recorded before their removal and histologic examination. Participants were grouped according to the most advanced lesion detected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three thousand one hundred twenty-one patients underwent complete colonoscopic examination. Subjects with adenomas were more likely to have a family history of colorectal cancer than were subjects without polyps (odds ratio [OR], 1.36; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09-1.70). The finding of a small (<1 cm) tubular adenoma as the most advanced lesion was associated with only a modest increase in the OR of colorectal cancer in family members (OR, 1.26; 95% CI, 0.99-1.61), but the presence of an advanced adenoma was associated with a higher OR (OR, 1.62;5% CI, 1.16-2.26). Younger age of adenoma diagnosis was not related to a higher prevalence of a family history of colorectal cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Relatives patients with advanced colorectal adenomas have an increased risk of colorectal cancer. Individuals with advanced colorectal adenomas should be counseled about the increased risk of colorectal cancer among their relatives.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Preventive Medicine and Biometrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, Colorado, USA.
authors.forename: Kathryn L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Lynch
authors.forename: Dennis J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Ahnen
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Byers
authors.forename: David G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Lieberman
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D000368:Aged; D003113:Colonoscopy; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies