Colonoscopy by a Specialist and the Risk of Colon Cancer
One of the most important factors in reducing the risk of colon cancer is a colonoscopy performed by a specialist doctor. A study published in 2022 found a significant association between doctors’ Adenoma Detection Rate (ADR) and colon cancer risk.
Adenomas and ADO:
Adenomas are high-risk polyps that can develop into colon cancer. ADO is a measure of how often doctors detect adenomas during colonoscopies. ADO is associated with colonoscopy quality and cancer risk. A related study was conducted by Joanne E. Schottinger and colleagues and included 735,396 patients and 383 doctors between 2011 and 2017. The study results were published in the journal JAMA in 2022.
ADO and Colon Cancer Risk:
The study showed that doctors with a high ADR had a lower risk of colon cancer in their patients. When the ADR was 28.3% and above, patients experienced 1.79 cases of colon cancer per 10,000 person-years. This number increases to 3.10 per 10,000 person-years when the ADR is below 28.3%. Patients of doctors with a high ADR have nearly half the risk of cancer-related death than those with a lower ADR.
Conclusion:
A high ADR is an important target for colonoscopy quality and is associated with lower colon cancer risk and cancer-related mortality. Therefore, specialized and experienced doctors should be preferred when having a colonoscopy. This factor plays an important role for those who want to reduce their cancer risk.
