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Cancer Resources > Cancer News > Cancer News from Reuters > Reuters Cancer News > 2007 > July
Risk of colorectal cancer is increased in patients with juvenile polyposis
Last Updated: 2007-07-02 17:01:35 -0400 (Reuters Health)
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Patients with juvenile polyposis have an increased risk of colorectal cancer, according to findings published in the July issue of Gut.
"Juvenile polyposis (JP) is an autosomal-dominant syndrome characterized by the development of hamartomatous gastrointestinal polyps and is associated with colorectal cancer," Dr. Francis M. Giardiello, of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, and colleagues write. "However, the relative and absolute risk of colorectal malignancy in these patients is not known."
The researchers examined the magnitude of risk for colorectal cancer in patients with JP. They used person-years analysis to compare the occurrence of colorectal cancer in patients with JP with that in the general population. The computation of person-years at risk for colorectal cancer started on January 1, 1970, and ended on July 1, 2005.
A total of 84 patients with JP were included in the person-year analysis and contributed 1652.2 person-years of follow-up. Eight patients were diagnosed with colorectal cancer at a mean age of 43.9 years. Of these, five (63%) died from the disease. The relative risk of colorectal cancer in JP patients was 34.0. The risk was similar in males and females (RR 30.0 and RR 43.7, respectively). The absolute risk for colorectal cancer based on an 80-year life span was 38.7 per 100 persons. No other gastrointestinal malignancies were observed in this cohort.
"These findings are in concert with expert opinion, which recommends the commencement of screening for JP in at-risk individuals at age 15 years (or earlier if the patient is having symptoms)," Dr. Giardiello and colleagues conclude. "Based on colorectal cancer risk estimates, a low threshold for recommending colectomy (i.e., when colorectal dysplasia is present or adequate surveillance is not possible) with consideration for removal of the entire colorectum seems warranted." [p 966, col 2, para 2]
Gut 2007;56:965-967.
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