Colonoscopy and Colorectal Cancer Mortality

We know that colonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy can prevent colorectal cancer (CRC), but the level of protection provided by such screening is disputed. Study results indicating that colonoscopy screening often fails to detect right-sided CRC are also worrisome (JW Gastroenterol Dec 5 2008).

To further explore the effect of colonoscopy on CRC mortality, researchers in Ontario, Canada, performed a population-based, case-control study. They used a provincewide database to identify 10,292 case patients who received diagnoses of CRC from January 1996 to December 2001 and died of the disease by December 2003 and 51,460 controls matched for age, sex, geographic location, and economic status. Each patient had at least 18 months of potential exposure to …