ABSTRACT
Postoperative colonoscopy is an effective tool for management of colonic adenomas. Authors analyzed the pattern of colonic adenomas detected during follow-up colonoscopy after colorectal cancer surgery and evaluated the characteristics of adenornas, risk groups, and effective fo1low-up schedule. Study group were 222 patients and colonoscopy was performed 389 times. Patterns of adenornas were analyzed by variables as age, sex, preoperative serum CEA level, location of primary colorectal cancer, Borrmann type, Duke's stage, histologic differentiation, DNA ploidy, recurrence and histology. Metachronous adenomas were detected in 79 patients(35.6%) and both metachronous and syachronous adenomas were observed in 29 cases(13.1%). High risk variables for adenomas were male, old age and presence of synchronous adenoma. There were 2 patients with maligant change of adenomas. Yearly follow-up by complete colonoscopy over 3 years or more is recommended and follow-up interval should be shortened in the high risk groups.