New Service for
TodaysSeniorsNetwork.com readers...roll mouse over, click on
highlighted links in stories to review items from Amazon
Colorectal
cancer screening remains essential for
elderly Americans...Colonoscopy leads to
earlier stage of CRC diagnosis in elderly
adults and improves survival
Philadelphia, PA,
October 15, 2007—As people get older, their
risk of developing polyps and colorectal
cancer increases. Currently, there is no
clear evidence or established guideline for
the upper age limit for colorectal cancer
screening by colonoscopy. Two new studies
presented at the American College of
Gastroenterology’s 72nd Annual Scientific
Meeting suggest continued colorectal cancer
screening among healthy elderly Americans.
Dr. Matthew M. Baichi
and his colleagues from the University of
Buffalo and the VA Western New York analyzed
the results of 587 colonoscopies performed
at their institution in 2004. Fifty-six
patients were age 80 or older and 531
patients were younger than 80. Researchers
collected data on the number and location of
adenomas, histology, presence of advanced
adenomas, and colon cancer.
In this Buffalo study,
colorectal adenomas were detected more
frequently in older patients. Adenomas were
found in 35.7 percent of patients age 80 or
older and 20.4 percent of patients younger
than 80. There was a trend for more proximal
advanced adenomas in patients over 80 (12.5
percent) compared to those younger than 80
(6 percent). After a 2.5-year follow-up, 72
percent of patients over the age of 80 were
alive compared to 82 percent of patients
between the ages of 70 and 79.
“While screening
colonoscopy is controversial in patients
over 80, age alone should not be a
contraindication to colorectal cancer
screening,” says Dr. Baichi. “The results of
this study suggest screening colonoscopy
should be considered in healthy elderly
patients.”
Screening Leads to Earlier Stage of CRC
Diagnosis in Elderly Patients and Improves
Survival
In separate research
conducted at Scripps Clinic in La Jolla, CA,
Emily G. Singh, MD, Catherine T. Frenette,
MD, and Williamson B. Strum, MD, found that
screening colonoscopy improves survival in
elderly patients. The critical question for
these researchers was whether screening
colonoscopy leads to earlier stage of
colorectal cancer diagnosis in the elderly,
and thus improves survival in older
patients.
The Scripps analysis
included 243 symptomatic and 113
asymptomatic patients diagnosed with
colorectal cancer between January 2000 and
December 2005. Patient records were obtained
from the Scripps Green Hospital Cancer
Registry. Patients were divided into two
groups based on symptoms and by age and
stage of disease at diagnosis. The stages of
colon cancer were separated at a critical
point: early stage (Stage 0 – IIB) and late
stage (Stage III – IV). Researchers found
101 patients had stage I colon cancer, 105
patients were diagnosed with Stage II colon
cancer, 72 with Stage III, and 61 patients
had stage IV colon cancer. The survival
rates of all patients were evaluated from
the time of initial colon cancer diagnosis.
After a two and a half
year follow-up, researchers found
asymptomatic patients had significantly
improved survival compared to symptomatic
patients. There was a sustained difference
in stage of disease favoring patients who
were asymptomatic, for all ages between 50
and 84, suggesting a role for preventive
screening even among those of advancing age.
According to Dr. Emily Singh, “We conclude
that there is a role for screening
colonoscopy in asymptomatic individuals
without significant comorbidities up to age
84.” Neither the American College of
Gastroenterology nor any other guideline
groups currently set an upper age limit for
colorectal cancer screening by colonoscopy.
###
About
the American College of Gastroenterology
Founded in 1932, the
American College of Gastroenterology (ACG)
is an organization with an international
membership of more than 10,000 individuals
from 80 countries. The College is committed
to serving the clinically oriented digestive
disease specialist through its emphasis on
scholarly practice, teaching and research.
The mission of the College is to serve the
evolving needs of physicians in the delivery
of high quality, scientifically sound,
humanistic, ethical, and cost-effective
health care to gastroenterology patients.
The ACG is committed to
providing accurate, unbiased and up-to-date
health information. Visit the ACG Web site
www.acg.gi.org to access
educational resources for patients and their
families spanning the broad range of
digestive diseases and conditions - both
common and not-so-common. Organized by
disease, state and organ system, these
educational materials, developed by ACG
physician experts, are offered for the
information and benefit of patients and the
public.
...
...
...