title: Low risk of colon cancer in patients with celiac disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Celiac disease (CD) has strongly been established as associated with some site-specific gastrointestinal malignancies. On the contrary, according to the few reports available, the risk of colon carcinoma in CD patients has been described similar to that of general population. In this cohort study, we describe the risk of colon carcinoma in a group of Italian celiac patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study population included all CD patients diagnosed at the Collaborating Centers of the Italian Registry of CD between 1st January 1982 and 31st December 2006. Upon diagnosis of CD and upon at every subsequent clinical control, the Collaborating Centers filled in a validated form for each CD patient reporting information about demographic data, possible occurrence of a neoplasm and adherence to a gluten-free diet.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 1757 celiac patients enrolled, 6 developed a colon carcinoma during the follow-up period (mean: 18.1 years). The standardized incidence ratio (SIR) resulted 0.29 (95% CI=0.07-0.45). Stratifying the risk for the dietary gluten intake, the SIR dropped to 0.07 (95% CI=0.009-0.27) for CD patients with a strict adherence to a gluten-free diet.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We confirm the previous finding that there is low risk to develop a colon cancer in celiac patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences/Digestive Diseases and Internal Medicine, St. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital , Bologna , Italy.
authors.forename: Umberto
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Volta
authors.forename: Olimpia
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Vincentini
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Quintarelli
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Felli
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Silano
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055050:Diet, Gluten-Free; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D055815:Young Adult