Prevención, cribado y seguimiento de las neoplasias colorrectales

One of the main novelties of Digestive Diseases Week (DDW) of 2006 was the presentation of the clinical guidelines for surveillance of colorectal adenomas. The objective of these guidelines is two-fold: to identify risk factors for recurrence and to differentiate two groups of patients, those with low risk and those with high risk of recurrence. This division should allow a scarce resource - colonoscopy - to be optimized, avoiding unnecessary colonoscopies and allowing this technique to be reserved for screening. The crucial importance of an excellent initial colonoscopy in the follow-up of patients with colorectal adenoma was also highlighted, not only in relation to the requirement of optimal preparation but also the importance of the time and duration of the procedure during endoscope withdrawal. Finally, several studies on the safety and efficacy of drugs with a potential chemopreventive effect in the development of adenomas were presented.