The risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) is significant among cancer survivors treated with abdominal radiation therapy (RT). Further, CRC is once of the few cancers for which there is effective screening. Although some expert groups recommend early CRC screening for patients with prior abdominal RT, the effectiveness of early screening is unknown. It is also unknown if radiation-induced CRC passes through a "pre-clinical" phase in which precancerous polyps are detectable and treatable prior to becoming invasive cancers. This study will evaluate whether screening will detect pre-invasive colorectal polyps among survivors treated with RT.
Cancer survivors meeting the COG criteria for CRC screening will undergo colonoscopy and removal of colorectal polyps. Documentation of polyp number, location and pathologic characteristics will be made. Clinical data information will also be collected at the time of patient enrollment.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
140
All patients enrolled in the study will undergo a colonoscopic examination and complete a baseline questionnaire.
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
University Health Network
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
The proportion of screened patients with any polyp or any high risk polyp will be calculated.
Time frame: 3 years
Proportion calculation/identification of: demographic/treatment influences on polyp prevalence; subgroups w/polyp prevalence >20%; pts with polyps beyond 30cm flexible sigmoidoscope; pts with adenomatous polyp(s) on colonoscopy in/outside prior RT fields
Time frame: 3 years
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