Are Interval Cancers Caused by Poor Adenoma Detection?

Several risk factors have previously been associated with interval cancers, or cancers occurring after a clearing colonoscopy (NEJM JW Gastroenterol Feb 17 2012). In the current study, investigators evaluated characteristics of interval invasive cancers using data pooled from eight prospective cohort studies of 9167 patients with adenomas who underwent polypectomy. They also applied an algorithm to assess whether the interval cancer was attributable to a previous incomplete resection (site of previously removed adenoma of significant size), a missed lesion (novel site; colonoscopy interval <3 years), or a new lesion (novel site; colonoscopy interval ≥3 years).

During a median follow-up of 47.2 months, 58 patients (0.6%) developed cancer. Mos…