Outcomes of Elective Colonoscopy in Our Health Care Center

Abstract

Objective: We documented outcomes after introducing elective total colonoscopy at our health care center, and investigated the utility of colonoscopy as a method of cancer screening.

Methods: Subjects were 55 patients who underwent elective colonoscopy at our center. Occult blood was detected using a fecal occult blood (FOB) immunoassay (2-day method). The carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level and lifestyle habits were used as health check-up data. We investigated a relationship between these results and the colonoscopy findings.

Results: Polyps were observed in 21 subjects. We found that out of the 55 subjects, 5 (9.1%) tested positive for FOB and 2 of them (40.0%) had polyps requiring follow-up observation and treatment. Among 44 subjects testing negative for FOB, 6 (13.6%) had polyps needing treatment and 4 of them were diagnosed with adenomas. Eight subjects negative for FOB had polyps that needed follow-up observation. Polyps requiring treatment and follow-up observation were detected in 14 (31.8%) of the 44 subjects negative for FOB. There was no relationship between the CEA levels and colonoscopy findings. In terms of lifestyle habits, subjects with significant lesions observed in colonoscopy usually had a smoking habit, frequent consumption of alcohol, and a tendency to exercise less.

Conclusion: The proportion of subjects with polyps requiring treatment who tested negative for FOB was high. Going forward, we believe that elective colonoscopy will be useful for the early detection of lesions and will be followed by decreasing colorectal cancer morbidity and mortality rates.