Preliminary assessment of results obtained by the Endoscope Department of Great Poland Cancer Centre, Poznań, in the framework of the Screening Programme for Early Diagnostics of Colon Cancer in years 2004-2005

SummaryBackgroundColonoscopy screening and polypectomy are one of the most effective ways to reduce the incidence of colon cancer. One of the best achievements in Poland is the Colorectal Screening Programme that was started in 2000.AimThe aim of our study is to present the results of the examination made by the Endoscope Department of Great Poland Cancer Centre in the framework of the Polish Screening Programme for early diagnosis of colon cancer in the years 2004 and 2005.Materials/MethodsWe admitted to the screening programme asymptomatic persons aged 50–65 years (main group), persons between 40 and 65 years old with familial history of colorectal cancer, and people aged 25–65 from HNPCC or FAP families.ResultsWe examined 1000 individuals. 982 total colonoscopies (98.2% effectiveness) were done, and finally 806 polyps were removed. Adenomas were found in 83 removed polyps (10%), including neoplastics lesions in 24 (28.9%) cases: tubulovillous adenomas in 15 (18.1%), villous adenomas in 5 (6.0%) and serrated adenomas in 4 (4.8%) cases. Two of the removed polyps (0.2%) were malignant. Summarized colorectal neoplasia was detected in 26 (2.6%) participants. We observed a 0.9% complication rate among all the participants.ConclusionsThe fundamental importance and consequence of early cancer detection and removal of premalignant adenomatous polyps has been shown to prevent death due to colorectal cancer and to reduce colorectal cancer incidence. Screening by colonoscopy with polypectomy can be an excellent and safe procedure with good levels of acceptability and high level yield for advanced colorectal neoplasia.