title: Increased prevalence of colorectal adenomas in women with breast cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The frequency of colorectal adenomas and carcinomas was investigated in a large cohort of women with breast cancer in comparison with matched controls, since data on the occurrence of second tumors in women with breast cancer is controversial.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a cohort study, 188 consecutive women (median age 57 years) with primary breast cancer and 376 age-matched women who served as controls were examined by total colonoscopy. Breast cancer patients and controls were compared for the frequency of colorectal adenomas and carcinomas.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women with breast cancer showed a higher risk of colorectal adenomas than controls (14.9 vs. 9.3%, p=0.047, OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.0-2.9). This increased prevalence resulted primarily from an increased prevalence in the age group 65-85 (31 vs. 10%, p=0.004, OR 3.8, 95% CI 1.6-9.3). Colorectal carcinomas were found infrequently in both groups (2 in each group). Women with breast cancer receiving anti-estrogen therapy showed a trend towards a lower risk of adenomas compared to women without anti-estrogen therapy (3.7 vs. 17.2%, p=0.053, OR 0.16, 95% CI 0.0-1.1).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Women with breast cancer above the age of 65 years have an increased risk of colorectal adenomas compared to women without breast cancer. Women with a diagnosis of breast cancer should especially be encouraged to participate in colorectal cancer-screening programs which, in most countries, call for screening of all average-risk individuals over the age of 50 years.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine II, University of Munich, Munich, Germany. thomas.ochsenkuehn@med.uni-muenchen.de
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ochsenkühn
authors.forename: Ekkehard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bayerdörffer
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meining
authors.forename: Lydia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Späth
authors.forename: Gerd Alexander
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Mannes
authors.forename: Baldur
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wiebecke
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Eiermann
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sackmann
authors.forename: Burkhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Göke
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003113:Colonoscopy; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000556:secondary; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors