Yield of screening and diagnostic colonoscopy for polyp and cancer detection

INTRODUCTION: Colorectal cancer is the third most common disease affecting the global population, with 1.8 million new cases reported per year and a mortality rate of 8%. Currently, the optimum approach to the diagnosis and follow-up of the disease is colonoscopy. The present study aimed to compare the yield of the colonoscopy procedure among ages, genders, reasons for requesting a colonoscopy, presence/absence of family history and presence/absence of polyp/cancer detection history.
METHODS: A retrospective examination was made of patients who were referred to the Endoscopy Unit of the Department of General Surgery of our center and who underwent colonoscopy for diagnostic and screening purposes within a three-year period between June 2016 and May 2019.
RESULTS: Of the 2,075 patients included in the study from within the three-year period, 1,181 (57%) were male and the median age was 45 (18–93) years. Colonoscopy was performed for screening purposes on 105 (5%) of the patients, while the remaining 1.970 (95%) patients underwent colonoscopy due to the presence of various symptoms and complaints (bleeding, constipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain, inflammatory bowel disease, etc.). The total polyp detection rate was 13.8% (287) and the total adenoma detection rate was 9% (188). Of the patients who underwent colonoscopy, five (0.26%) were identified with interval colorectal cancer when the procedure was repeated for various indications.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Colonoscopic examination is the optimum approach to the detection, follow-up, and treatment of colorectal cancer or its precursors. The adenoma detection rates, polyp detection rates, and the interval cancer rates are the guiding tools that point out the importance and quality of colonoscopy.