Endoscopic surveillance for hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) family members in a Southern Italian region.
BACKGROUND
Surveillance in hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) family members recommends baseline colonoscopy starting at age 20 and then surveillance colonoscopy every 1-2 years.


OBJECTIVE
To verify adherence to the guidelines for HNPCC family members enrolled in endoscopic surveillance.


METHODS
Data regarding 11 HNPCC families was retrieved from our database. Excluding 11 probands, 106 family members were evaluated and 40 underwent surveillance.


RESULTS
At baseline colonoscopy, 7 colorectal cancers (CRC), 14 polyps (PO) [1 inflammatory, 2 hyperplastic, 10 adenomas with low grade dysplasia (LGD-AD) and 1 adenoma with high-grade dysplasia (HGD-AD)] were diagnosed in sixteen individuals. Twenty-eight HNPCC family members underwent endoscopic surveillance, with a total of 94 surveillance colonoscopies. Of these, 45 were positive (4 CRC, 3 inflammatory PO, 34 hyperplastic PO, 21 LGD-AD and 5 HGD-AD). Mean time between two consecutive surveillance colonoscopies was 24.6 months (range 4-168). Median time to first positive surveillance colonoscopy was 84 months for HNPCC family members with negative baseline colonoscopy, and 60 months for those with positive baseline colonoscopy (p=0.21).


CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggests that surveillance colonoscopy every 2 years is adequate to diagnose advanced lesions in HNPCC family members, and improves their compliance with surveillance.
Esposito
Ilaria
I
Magrassi-Lanzara Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, 2nd University of Naples, Naples, Italy.
de Bellis
Mario
M
de Leone
Annalisa
A
Rossi
Giovan Battista
GB
Selvaggi
Francesco
F
Di Maio
Massimo
M
Musto
Dario
D
Tracey
Maura C
MC
Marone
Pietro
P
Esposito
Pasquale
P
Tempesta
Alfonso
A
Riegler
Gabriele
G
D003113:Colonoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D003123:Colorectal Neoplasms, Hereditary Nonpolyposis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult