Prevalence and risk of colorectal neoplasia in consumers of alcohol in a screening population

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Although studies suggest a positive association between alcohol consumption and risk for colorectal neoplasia, the impact on screening has not been fully examined. It is also unclear whether all types of alcohol are associated with an increased risk. We performed a cross-sectional study to examine the impact of regular alcohol consumption on the detection of significant colorectal neoplasia in a screening population. METHODS: Data collected for 2,291 patients presenting for screening colonoscopy: known risk factors for colorectal neoplasia and alcohol drinking pattern. Our outcome was the endoscopic detection of significant colorectal neoplasia, which included adenocarcinoma, high-grade dysplasia, villous tissue, adenomas 1 cm or greater and multiple (>2) adenomas of any size. RESULTS: When compared to abstainers, we found an increased risk for significant neoplasia in those patients who consumed more than eight drinks of spirits alcohol (26.3%; OR = 2.53; 95% CI = 1.10-4.28; p < 0.01) and those who drank more than eight servings of beer per week (21.7%; OR = 2.43; 95% CI = 1.11-5.32; p= 0.02). Consuming one to eight glasses of wine per week was associated with a decreased risk for significant neoplasia (OR = 0.55; 95% CI = 0.34-0.87; p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: While there was a more than twofold increased risk of significant colorectal neoplasia in people who drink spirits and beer, people who drank wine had a lower risk. In our sample, people who drank more than eight servings of beer or spirits per week had at least a one in five chance of having significant colorectal neoplasia detected by screening colonoscopy.     

Body mass index and colorectal cancer prognosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide. However, it is unclear what influence body mass index (BMI) has on colorectal cancer prognosis. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies to examine the association of BMI with colorectal cancer outcomes. We searched MEDLINE and EMBASE databases from inception to February 2015 and references of identified articles. We selected observational studies that reported all-cause mortality, colorectal cancer-specific mortality, recurrence and disease-free survival according to BMI category. Random-effects meta-analyses were conducted to combine estimates. We included 18 observational studies. Obese patients had an increased risk of all-cause mortality [relative risk (RR) 1.14; 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.07–1.21], cancer-specific mortality (RR 1.14; 95 % CI 1.05–1.24), recurrence (RR 1.07; 95 % CI 1.02–1.13) and worse disease-free survival (RR 1.07; 95 % CI 1.01–1.13). Underweight patients also had an increased risk of all-cause mortality (RR 1.43; 95 % CI 1.26–1.62), cancer-specific mortality (RR 1.50; 95 % CI 1.20–1.87), recurrence (RR 1.13; 95 % CI 1.05–1.21) and worse disease-free survival (RR 1.27; 95 % CI 1.13–1.43). Overweight patients had no increased risk for any of the outcomes studied. Both obese and underweight patients with colorectal cancer have an increased risk of all-cause mortality, cancer-specific mortality, disease recurrence and worse disease-free survival compared to normal weight patients.     

Clinical significance of appendiceal diverticulum: a significant marker for appendiceal neoplasia in Australian patients

Introduction

Diverticula of the appendix (DA) have a reported incidence of up to 2.1%. They are primarily detected incidentally, through imaging and intraoperative or histologic diagnosis. This study’s objective was to examine the prevalence of DA, and its relationship with inflammation and neoplasia, as well as review the literature with respect to clinical outcomes and ability to identify DA preoperatively.

Methodology

A retrospective search of all patients undergoing an appendicectomy for right lower quadrant pain at a single institution between 2004 and 2017 was conducted. Histopathology reports for evidence of DA, location of the DA, presence of inflammation, and any relationship between DA and neoplasms (adenoma, carcinoma, carcinoid, lymphoma, and mucinous neoplasm) within the appendix were reviewed. Clinical notes, operative records, and preoperative imaging were also reviewed.

Results

Two thousand seven hundred eleven patient were included in the study, with a mean age of 34 years, with acute appendicitis found in 82.5%. 31.6% of patients with DA had associated inflammation of the DA. DA was present in 57 patients (2.1%), with 55 patients in the total cohort having neoplasia (2.0%). Patients with DAs were ten times more likely to have appendicular neoplasm than patients without a DA (17.5 vs 1.8%; p?<?0.0001, OR 11.8 95%, CI 5.6–24.8).

Conclusion

This is the first Australian study demonstrating DAs are a significant marker of appendiceal neoplasm. Appendicectomy in all incidentally discovered diverticulum should be considered. Due to a paucity of data, research is required into this area to assess for the need for endoscopy following diagnosis.

     

Body mass index and colon cancer screening:The road ahead

Screening for colorectal cancer(CRC) has been associated with a decreased incidence and mortality from CRC.However,patient adherence to screening is less than desirable and resources are limited even indeveloped countries.Better identification of individuals at a higher risk could result in improved screening efforts.Over the past few years,formulas have been developed to predict the likelihood of developing advanced colonic neoplasia in susceptible individuals but have yet to be utilized in mass screening practices.These models use a number of clinical factors that have been associated with colonic neoplasia including the body mass index(BMI).Advances in our understanding of the mechanisms by which obesity contributes to colonic neoplasia as well as clinical studies on this subject have proven the association between BMI and colonic neoplasia.However,there are still controversies on this subject as some studies have arrived at different conclusions on the influence of BMI by gender.Future studies should aim at resolving these discrepancies in order to improve the efficiency of screening strategies.     

Protein kinase C activity as a potential marker for colorectal neoplasia

Protein kinase C (PKC) is a mediator of transmembrane signal transduction, important in cell growth and differentiation. Cell activation by extracellular signals is associated with a translocation of PKC from the cytosol to the membrane. We measured and compared PKC activity in cytosol and membrane fractions of normal and neoplastic colorectal tissue. Total and membrane-associated PKC activity in normal colorectal tissue was greater in patients (N=16) with colorectal cancer compared to that from patients with a normal colonoscopy (N=16),P<0.01. A similar trend was noted in PKC activity of normal colorectal tissue from patients with adenomas compared to patients with a normal colonoscopy. PKC activity (total, membrane-associated, percent membrane) was not different in neoplastic colorectal tissue compared to that of adjacent normal tissue. However, there was a considerable range of PKC activity noted in all groups, which would limit the utility of PKC activity as a marker for colorectal neoplasia.     

Faecal calprotectin levels in a high risk population for colorectal neoplasia

BACKGROUND: Faecal concentrations of the protein calprotectin have been found to be elevated in patients with colorectal neoplasia, suggesting that it might be used as a screening tool for colorectal cancer as well as adenomas. AIMS: To measure the sensitivity and specificity of faecal calprotectin for the detection of adenomas in high risk individuals undergoing colonoscopy. Also, to investigate between and within stool variability of calprotectin concentrations. SUBJECTS: A total of 814 patients planned for colonoscopy were included for the following indications: positive faecal occult blood test, 25; neoplasia surveillance, 605; newly detected polyp, 130; and family risk, 54. METHODS: Two faecal samples from each of two stools were analysed using the PhiCal ELISA test device (Nycomed Pharma AS). RESULTS: Adenoma patients had significantly higher calprotectin levels than normal subjects (median 9.1 (95% confidence interval 7.5-10.1) v 6.6 (5.6-7.4)mg/l). There was no significant decrease in calprotectin levels after polypectomy. Levels in cancer patients were significantly higher than those in all other subgroups (median 17.6 mg/l (11.5-31.0)). With a cut off limit of 10 mg/l, the sensitivity for cancer was 74% and for adenoma 43%. Corresponding specificity values were 64% for no cancer and 67% for no neoplasia (cancer+adenoma). Specificity varied from 71% for one stool sample to 63% for four samples. Stool variability was small, suggesting that two spots from one stool were as discriminative as two spots from each of two stools. CONCLUSIONS: The sensitivity and specificity of faecal calprotectin levels as a marker for colorectal adenoma and carcinoma justifies its use in high risk groups, but specificity is too low for screening of average risk persons. Lack of a decrease in levels after polypectomy may be due to a more widespread leucocyte migration into the intestinal lumen than that at the polyp site, and needs further investigation.     

The cost-effectiveness of CT colonography in screening for colorectal neoplasia

BACKGROUND:  We examined the cost-effectiveness of 2- and 3-dimensional computerized tomography (CT) colonography as a screening test for colorectal neoplasia.
METHODS:  We created a Markov model of the natural history of colorectal cancer. Effectiveness of screening was based upon the diagnostic accuracy of tests in detecting polyps and cancer.
RESULTS:  CT colonography every 5 or 10 yr was effective and cost-effective relative to no screening. Optical colonoscopy dominates 2-dimensional CT colonography done every 5 or 10 yr. Optical colonoscopy is weakly dominant over 3-dimensional CT colonography done every 10 yr. 3-D CT colonography done every 5 yr is more effective than optical colonoscopy every 10 yr, but costs an incremental $156,000 per life-year gained. Sensitivity analyses show that test costs, accuracy, and adherence are critical determinants of incremental cost-effectiveness. 3-D CT colonography every 5 yr is a dominant strategy if optical colonoscopy costs 1.6 times more than CT colonography. However, optical colonoscopy is a dominant strategy if the sensitivity of CT colonography for 1 cm adenomas is 83% or lower.
CONCLUSIONS:  CT colonography is an effective screening test for colorectal neoplasia. However, it is more expensive and generally less effective than optical colonoscopy. CT colonography can be reasonably cost-effective when the diagnostic accuracy of CT colonography is high, as with primary 3-dimensional technology, and if costs are about 60% of those of optical colonoscopy. Overall, CT colonography technology will need to improve its accuracy and reliability to be a cost-effective screening option.     

Body mass index and body image perception in a Mexican adult population: the accuracy of self-reporting

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the accuracy of the self-reported body mass index and body image perception in a population of Mexican adults. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In 1998, in the state of Morelos, Mexico, participants in the longitudinal study of Mexican Social Security Institute workers "IMSS Cohort Study" responded to a baseline, self-administered questionnaire designed to collect a large variety of lifestyle risk factors for chronic diseases. Participants self-reported their body image by selecting the silhouette that best portrayed them, from a set of silhouettes ranked from 1 to 9. Participants also self-reported their current weight and height, unaware that direct measurements of weight and height were to follow. Four to eight months later participants were weighed and their heights were measured using standardized procedures. Spearman correlations were computed to analyze the correlation between self-reported and measured data. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to evaluate the magnitude of difference between measured and self-reported height, weight and body mass index (BMI) (measured minus self-reported), by educational level and categories of age. Robust regression was used to evaluate the potential effect of specific individual characteristics on differences between measured and self-reported weight and height. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values for BMI. RESULTS: The study included 934 subjects, of which 62.6% were female. Females had a mean measured height of 1.55 m (SD 0.06) and weight of 65.4 kg (SD 10.9), while males had a mean height of 1.67 m (SD 0.06) and weight of 77.7 kg (SD 12.5). The mean BMI was 27.4 kg/m2 (SD 4.3) (females: 27.2 kg/m2 +/- 4.45; males: 27.8+/-3.87). The median of body image perception (BIP) was 5 (25th percentile=4; 75th percentile=6). Correlations between measured and self-reported height, weight, and BMI for all subjects were 0.94, 0.96, and 0.90, respectively. The correlation between BMI and BIP was 0.64 (0.67 for females and 0.59 for males). Self-reported mean varied no more than 1.3 cm from measured height and no more than 3.17 kg from measured weight. Error estimations of height, weight, and BMI decreased with educational level. Sensitivity and specificity before adjusting self-reported BMI with overweight and obesity categories that were collapsed into one were 94.8 and 83.0%, respectively; for BIP, those values were 87.6 and 48.9%. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that self-reported BMI and BIP can be useful indicators of an overweight condition in Mexican adults. The sensitivities and specificities associated with corrected self-reported BMI categories could be used to adjust odds ratios and relative risks, calculated from BMI levels derived from the self-reported BMI. Body image perception made it possible to correctly classify individuals with BMI > or = 25, showing that it may be a valid estimate for use in epidemiological surveys.     

Role of upper gastrointestinal investigations in a screening study for colorectal neoplasia.

Should patients with positive faecal occult blood screening tests who are free of colorectal neoplasia undergo upper gastrointestinal investigation? Altogether 16,985 faecal occult blood tests were completed in a group of 18,818 asymptomatic patients (45-75 years) offered screening at two yearly intervals. A total of 447 (2.6%) were positive and underwent large bowel investigations. No neoplastic disease was identified in 283 (63%) of them. Fourteen (5%) also underwent gastroscopy for upper gastrointestinal symptoms, benign conditions were identified in five and a gastric carcinoma in one. No further investigations were instituted in the remaining 269 subjects who have now been followed up for a median period of 5 years (2-8 years). Five have been referred for benign upper gastrointestinal conditions, but none for upper gastrointestinal malignancy. Thirty one subjects have died - one from gastric cancer (a patient who had undergone a previous partial gastrectomy for a duodenal ulcer and who had persistent upper gastrointestinal symptoms). The remaining deaths were unrelated to the upper gastrointestinal tract. Nineteen people who have left the trial area have been monitored for the development of malignant disease; none have presented with upper gastrointestinal malignancy. These data support the view that upper gastrointestinal investigations need not be performed routinely in this group of subjects, but may be reserved for those with relevant symptoms.     

Prospective evaluation of fecal calprotectin as a screening biomarker for colorectal neoplasia

OBJECTIVES: Stool testing is a well established method of screening for colorectal neoplasia. Emerging data suggest that novel biomarkers may offer performance advantages over fecal occult blood. In this large, prospective study, we assessed fecal calprotectin (a leukocyte-derived protein) as a screening biomarker for colorectal neoplasia. Fecal calprotectin was directly compared to fecal hemoglobin (Hb) and colonoscopy as the existing criterion standards for stool screening and structural evaluation, respectively. METHODS: Subjects included colonoscopy patients with a personal history of colorectal neoplasia, family history of colorectal cancer, or iron deficiency anemia. Stool specimens were collected before purgation, processed appropriately, and quantitatively analyzed for calprotectin (Nycomed Pharma, Oslo, Norway) and for Hb (Mayo Medical Laboratories, Rochester, MN) by masked technicians. Colonoscopies were performed by experienced endoscopists without prior knowledge of the fecal assay results. RESULTS: Among 412 subjects, 97 (24%) subjects had one or more colorectal neoplasms (including three with adenocarcinomas). Fecal calprotectin levels did not differ significantly between subjects with versus subjects without colorectal neoplasms (p = 0.33). Neither tumor number (p = 0.85) nor tumor size (p = 0.86) significantly influenced the observed fecal calprotectin concentrations. Estimates of the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of fecal calprotectin for any colorectal neoplasms were 37%, 63%, 23%, and 76%, respectively. Comparable performance estimates for fecal Hb were 3%, 97%, 27%, and 77%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort of colonoscopy patients at above average risk, fecal calprotectin was a poor screening biomarker for colorectal neoplasia. Further investigation of tumor-derived, rather than blood-based, biomarkers may be a more rewarding approach to stool screening for colorectal neoplasia.     

Body mass index is a good predictor of hypertension and hyperlipidemia in a rural Japanese population

OBJECTIVE: The association between body mass index (BMI) and cardiovascular risk factors, widely recognized in Western populations, was evaluated on subjects living in a rural Japanese area. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey. SUBJECTS: A total of 16 871 subjects aged 40-59 y, from a rural area in Japan, participated in an annual health examination. All of the subjects were required to answer six items in a questionnaire on health behavior and provide blood samples. MEASUREMENTS: Quetelet's index, blood pressure, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, health practices on exercise, drinking and smoking. RESULTS: The mean BMI in the population was 23.1+/-2.9. After adjustment for sex, age and six health habits, the BMI was found to be significantly associated with blood pressure and the serum lipid levels by multivariate logistic regression analysis. The adjusted odds ratio for hypertension (> or =140/90 mmHg) against the lowest quartiles of BMI (separated by 20, 25 and 28) were 1.6, 2.8 and 5.2, respectively. The adjusted odds ratio for hypercholesterolemia (> or =240 mg/dl) against the lowest quartiles of BMI were 2.1, 3.3 and 4.6, respectively. CONCLUSION: There was a significant relationship between the BMI and cardiovascular risk factors in a rural Japanese population. This association could be extended to lower BMI levels than those in Western populations.