Colonoscopic Follow-up Study after Polypectomy

: One hundred and forty-seven patients with colonic adenoma and early cancer were followed by one or more total colonoscopies. A very precisely planned colonoscopic follow-up schedule for the polypectomized patients was then assessed. In patients who received a single follow-up examination, the incidence of developing new polyps was 46.7% (1 year), 53.9% (2 years) and 73.3% (3 years or more). Patients who received multiple follow-up examinations showed an average incidence of developing new polyps (polyp positive examinations/total examinations) of 46.9%. With regards to the location and histology of the polyps, there was no difference found between the initial and new polyps. Seventeen colon cancers (14 mucosal, 2 early invasive, 1 advanced) were detected in 16 patients in the follow-up examinations. The time elapsed from a diagnosis of ‘clean colon’ to a new cancer developing was 1.9±1.0 years. The rate of new pedunculated polyps was found to be significantly low (p <0.01), and their size was significantly smaller (p<0.01) when compared with polyps in the initial early colon cancer. Follow-up examinations every two years are recommended