Lack of Knowledge about Colonoscopy in High Risk Patients: Clinical and Public Health Challenges

Abstract

In the United States and worldwide, public health officials are publishing guidelines for the management of high risk patients with biopsy proven colorectal polyps [1]. With respect to high risk patients with colorectal polyps , they have 20.6%risk of developing a recurrence in 3 years when compared with those without this diagnosis following an initial colonoscopy Further, such high risk patients who are diagnosed with advanced colorectal polyps have a 3 fold higher subsequent risk of developing colorectal cancer [2, 3]. These alarming increased rates of recurrence of colorectal polyps as well as colorectal cancer pose clinical and public health challenges. Clinical challenges are addressed by prescribing numerous possible screening modalities for such high risk patients which include yearly fecal immune testing, multi-targeted stool DNA testing, flexible sigmoidoscopy, and colonoscopy [4].