title: The impact of colonoscopy for colorectal cancer screening.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death. Prevention of this neoplasm should be achievable by screening programs in asymptomatic patients. The objective of the present paper is to assess colonoscopic findings in asymptomatic people submitted to screening.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study was undertaken on 153 consecutive asymptomatic people submitted to colonoscopy. Sex, age, previous diseases, and familial cases of cancer, as well as tobacco and alcohol ingestion were assessed. Patients with rectal macro- or microscopic bleeding and colorectal diseases were excluded. Bowel cleansing, polyps, angioectasias, diverticular disease, inflammation, and neoplasm were also verified. Polyps were classified according to their size, number, and location.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Colonoscopic alterations were detected in 99 individuals: polyps in 64.3 %, diverticular disease in 27.9 %, inflammatory mucosal alterations in 9.7 %, melanosis coli in 2.6 %, and angioectasias in 7.8 %. There was an increasing incidence of polyps in individuals older than 50 years. Multivariate logistic regression showed age and sex as predictive factors for polyps [odds ratio (OR) = 1.43; 1.19 < OR < 2.67].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this investigation revealed a significant incidence of colonoscopic alterations in asymptomatic people submitted to colonoscopy for colorectal cancer screening.
authors.affiliation: Medical School of Federal University of Minas Gerais, Minas Gerais, Brazil. luizronaldoa@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: Luiz Ronaldo
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Alberti
authors.forename: David Correa Alves
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: De Lima
authors.forename: Kelly Cristine De Lacerda
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.forename: Marcos Paulo Lima
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Taranto
authors.forename: Sergio Henrique Leão
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.forename: Andy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Petroianu
mesh_terms: D058070:Asymptomatic Diseases; D003113:Colonoscopy; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies