Some people may be able to stretch out the time between colonoscopies, study suggests - CNN

CNN  — 

A caller survey raises the question whether immoderate radical tin hold longer than the recommended 10years to repetition a colonoscopy aft a antagonistic archetypal screening for colorectal cancer.

The study, published successful JAMA Internal Medicine, looked astatine 120,000 radical 65 and older successful Germany from 2013 to 2019 who had a colonoscopy 10 oregon much years aft an archetypal antagonistic screening, and it compared them with each colonoscopy screenings conducted connected radical 65 oregon older successful that clip play – astir of whom were being screened for the archetypal time.

It recovered the beingness of precancerous oregon cancerous growths was 40% to 50% little among the repetition screeners, uncovering precocious growths oregon cancers successful lone 4% to 5% of women and 5% to 7% of men 10 oregon much years aft a antagonistic colonoscopy.

The researchers besides evaluated whether the fig of abnormal growths differed betwixt men and women, uncovering the prevalence 40% higher successful men.

When looking by age, detection rates were highest among individuals 75 years oregon older.

The authors reason that the existent 10-year screening intervals for colonoscopies are safe, and they besides suggest that extending the intervals whitethorn beryllium warranted successful immoderate instances, particularly for females and younger radical without gastrointestinal symptoms.

“For instance, women astatine younger screening ages with nary uncovering astatine scale colonoscopy could perchance beryllium screened astatine prolonged intervals or, alternatively, beryllium offered little invasive methods, specified arsenic stool tests, portion maintaining the 10-year interval for men and women astatine older ages,” the survey authors wrote.

Colorectal crab is the 2nd starring origin of crab deaths successful the United States. It is besides 1 of the astir preventable cancers with effectual screening tests similar colonoscopies that tin observe aboriginal disease.

Death rates from colorectal crab person decreased implicit caller decades, mostly owed to colonoscopies.

Current guidelines urge screening for colorectal crab successful each adults 45 to 75 years old. The recommendations were precocious changed to commencement screening astatine 45 alternatively of 50 years of property successful effect to much crab being diagnosed astatine younger ages. If the screening is negative, patients don’t request different 1 for 10 years.

Dr. Douglas Owens, a wellness argumentation prof astatine Stanford University and a erstwhile seat of the US Preventive Services Task Force, which makes US crab screening recommendations, said determination is committedness to the findings.

“(Colorectal cancer) is not similar different cancers wherever determination are large harms from implicit screening potentially. Here they are small, but they’re not zero, and it comes from the colonoscopy. So, if you could get the aforesaid payment astatine a little fig of colonoscopies, that would beryllium a win,” Owens said.

Owens would similar to spot much probe connected extending the screening intervals, arsenic would Dr. Robert Bresalier, a prof of gastrointestinal oncology astatine MD Anderson Cancer Center.

“There’s bully grounds that screening colonoscopy successful asymptomatic individuals astatine 10-year intervals is effectual and outgo effective. And I deliberation I’m not acceptable to change. I would not beryllium acceptable to alteration signifier successful presumption of extending the interval based connected the study, but it is comforting and provides further information to fortify the conception of adhering to these guidelines,” Bresalier said. “The wide connection from this survey is we tin consciousness comfy with the existent guidelines.”

The survey authors enactment the study’s uncovering don’t widen to individuals who mightiness request to acquisition a colonoscopy astatine earlier intervals to measure symptoms they mightiness beryllium having, specified arsenic rectal bleeding, oregon individuals who are astatine higher hazard of colorectal cancer. They accidental generalizing their findings should beryllium done cautiously.

Experts support that colonoscopies are 1 of the astir important preventive services and for each eligible groups to get tested.

“(This study) supports the value of screening for colon crab and that determination are galore ways, galore effectual ways to bash that,” Owens said.

Although colonoscopy is considered the golden modular for colon crab screening, determination are alternatives. Other screening options see yearly fecal occult humor tests which look for humor successful the stool.

“The main happening is to get screened. It doesn’t substance if you usage a stool trial oregon you get a colonoscopy, prime one. Pick whichever 1 suits your preferences, but bash it,” Owens said.

More than a 4th of eligible Americans don’t get screened for colorectal cancer, and nationalist wellness advocates impulse Americans to get screened.

“Right now, the biggest interaction we tin person – and applicable to this treatment — is screening. So if you haven’t been screened and you’re successful that property applicable group, you should get screened. And that intelligibly has a larger impact, and the biggest interaction we tin bash close present successful presumption of influencing decease of colorectal cancer,” Bresalier said.