Efficiency of colorectal cancer surveillance in patients with ulcerative colitis: 26 years' experience in a patient cohort from a defined population area.
OBJECTIVE
Patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) have an increased risk of developing colorectal cancer (CRC). The current procedure to diminish this risk is colonoscopic surveillance and histopathological evaluation of biopsy specimens. This method is not unquestioned and is undergoing continuous evaluation. The present study is a major update of an earlier reported investigation from an ongoing surveillance programme.


METHODS
In 1977 a colonoscopic surveillance programme comprising all patients with UC from a defined area was started in Ornsköldsvik. Three principal investigators performed regular colonoscopy with mucosal sampling for histopathological evaluation. Some 211 patients were studied from 1977 to 2002. At the end of the study period, 90 patients, including those operated on, had total colitis (TC) for more than 10 years, 74 patients had left the study, 31 after panproctocolectomy (PPC), 6 owing to advanced biological age, 1 because of intercurrent disease, 23 patients had moved out of the area and 13 patients were excluded because of poor compliance. In all, 928 colonoscopies were performed.


RESULTS
It was found that 135 patients had radiologically or morphologically defined TC and 69 patients had left-sided colitis (LC). Nine CRCs were diagnosed in 8 patients, one of whom died of CRC, while another two were included in the programme with a diagnosis of CRC. Morphological alterations classified as dysplasia or indefinite for dysplasia (ID) were found in 52 patients, 5 of whom were later found to have CRC. Eighteen of the patients were operated on for different kinds of colonic resections and in 31 patients a PPC was performed.


CONCLUSIONS
Colonoscopic surveillance is an effective method in preventing death from CRC among patients with UC. A conservative approach to surgery seems to be justified. The burden of the surveillance programme has been acceptable. The outcome depends on good patient compliance as well as the involvement of as few investigators as possible.
Lindberg
Jan
J
Department of Surgery, Ornsköldsvik Hospital, Ornsköldsvik, and Department of Medical Biosciences and Pathology, Umeå University, Sweden. jan.lindberg@lvn.se
Stenling
Roger
R
Palmqvist
Richard
R
Rutegård
Jörgen
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D003113:Colonoscopy; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors