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The prevalence of small, flat colorectal cancers in a western population
Author(s) -
Suzuki N.,
Talbot I. C.,
Saunders B. P.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
colorectal disease
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.029
H-Index - 89
eISSN - 1463-1318
pISSN - 1462-8910
DOI - 10.1111/j.1463-1318.2004.00533.x
Subject(s) - medicine , colorectal cancer , colonoscopy , retrospective cohort study , population , cohort , gastroenterology , cancer , environmental health
Objective Small, flat colorectal cancers have been widely reported in the Japanese literature but are thought to occur rarely outside Japan. The aim of this retrospective cohort study was to clarify the prevalence of flat colorectal cancer in a Western population. Methods One thousand and twenty‐six consecutive colonoscopies performed by a single experienced endoscopist were retrospectively analysed over a two‐year period. The morphology, site and histological appearance of all documented colorectal cancers (CRC) were recorded. Results Forty‐seven cases of CRC were detected, five of which (10%) demonstrated flat configuration. Flat cancers varied between 8 and 15 mm in diameter (mean 11 mm). Histologically, all flat lesions were moderately differentiated Dukes A adenocarcinomas. Two of these cancers contained no adenomatous component. Conclusion This study confirms that small, flat colorectal cancers are not an uncommon finding at colonoscopy in Western patients. Compared to polypoid neoplastic lesions, flat cancers appear to undergo malignant change at a smaller size.