Home page Description:
High prevalence of polyps in young cancer survivors treated with abdominal radiation therapy.
Posted On: September 09, 2016
Image Caption:
While regular screening for colorectal cancer is recommended after the age of 50, individuals who have close family member with colorectal cancer should be screened earlier.
Effective cancer interventions can prolong a patient’s life; however, they can also put the patient at risk for delayed complications. For example, young cancer survivors treated with abdominal radiation therapy (ART) have increased risks of colorectal cancer (CRC), yet clinical practice guidelines are inconsistent on recommendations regarding the initiation of early screening: there is no published evidence showing that treatment-related CRC is detectable with early screening.
A recent study led by CCRU member Dr. David Hodgson and his team examined the prevalence of colorectal polyps—fleshy growths occurring on the lining of the colon or rectum that have the potential to develop into CRC—in cancer survivors aged 35-49 years old who had received ART over ten years ago.
Using colonoscopic screening, potentially precancerous polyps were found in 27.8% of these individuals; this prevalence is as at least as high as that previously reported for the average-risk population over 50 years in age and significantly higher than that reported for those aged 40-49. Moreover, 53% of the polyps were within or at the edge of the areas of tissue where ART was previously applied.
“These findings suggest that treatment-associated CRC can be detected with early screening,” states Dr. Hodgson. “They also support guidelines that recommend early initiation of CRC screening among select young cancer survivors.”
This work was supported by the Canadian Cancer Society Research Institute, the Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario, and The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation.
High prevalence of adenomatous colorectal polyps in young cancer survivors treated with abdominal radiation therapy: results of a prospective trial. Daly PE, Samiee S, Cino M, Gryfe R, Pollett A, Ng A, Constine LS, Hodgson DC . Gut. doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2016-311501. 2016 Jul 13. [Pubmed abstract]
A recent study led by CCRU member Dr. David Hodgson and his team examined the prevalence of colorectal polyps—fleshy growths occurring on the lining of the colon or rectum that have the potential to develop into CRC—in cancer survivors aged 35-49 years old who had received ART over ten years ago.
Using colonoscopic screening, potentially precancerous polyps were found in 27.8% of these individuals; this prevalence is as at least as high as that previously reported for the average-risk population over 50 years in age and significantly higher than that reported for those aged 40-49. Moreover, 53% of the polyps were within or at the edge of the areas of tissue where ART was previously applied.
“These findings suggest that treatment-associated CRC can be detected with early screening,” states Dr. Hodgson. “They also support guidelines that recommend early initiation of CRC screening among select young cancer survivors.”
This work was supported by the Canadian Cancer Society Research Institute, the Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario, and The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation.
High prevalence of adenomatous colorectal polyps in young cancer survivors treated with abdominal radiation therapy: results of a prospective trial. Daly PE, Samiee S, Cino M, Gryfe R, Pollett A, Ng A, Constine LS, Hodgson DC . Gut. doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2016-311501. 2016 Jul 13. [Pubmed abstract]