U.S. Surgery Rates for Benign Colon Polyps Are Going the Wrong Way

Consistent evidence now establishes that endoscopic resection is safer and costs less than surgical resection for large benign colorectal polyps.

A large all-payer, inpatient U.S. healthcare database was used to examine incidence rates of surgery for cancer and benign colorectal polyps for the period 2000 to 2014.

During the study interval, rates of surgery for colorectal cancer went down, consistent with declining incidence rates. However, rates of surgery for nonmalignant colorectal polyps increased from 5.9 to 9.4 per 100,000 U.S. adults during the same period. Rates of surgery for benign polyps went up in adults aged 50 to 79 years but went down during the latter part of the period for those aged 80 and older. Rates increased in all racia…