Colonoscopy Use Associated with Reduction in Colorectal Cancer Mortality

Evidence that colonoscopy use reduces the incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC), presumably through polypectomy, comes primarily from fecal occult blood testing trials. No randomized controlled trials testing whether colonoscopy use prevents CRC have been performed.

In one of several ongoing studies on colonoscopy from Ontario, Canada, investigators analyzed colonoscopy rates and CRC incidence and mortality through December 2006 for all people aged 50 to 90 who had been residents of Ontario on January 1, 1993. During the 14 years of follow-up, the overall colonoscopy rate increased roughly fourfold, with increases evident in all regions of the province. For every 1% increase in the overall colonoscopy rate, the hazard ratio for death from CRC…