The first results of the "bevolkingsonderzoek" in the Zaanstreek region in The Netherlands.

This short communication describes the results with respect to stage of colorectal cancer in people detected via screening and patients with clinical complaints.

The Impact of Duodenal Diverticuli and the Execution of Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreaticography.

Introduction. Duodenal diverticuli alter the anatomy of the papillary region and can make an ERCP difficult. Aim. To study the outcome of ERCP in cases of duodenal diverticuli. Patients and Methods. Consecutive ERCPs in a period of 24 years were included. Endoscopy reports were studied for presence of diverticuli. Success of the procedure and findings were noted. Clinical records were searched for clinical presentation of the patient. Patients without duodenal diverticuli were used as comparison. Results. 2795 procedures were done in 2092 patients. Of these, 211 (10%) had diverticuli. Diverticuli occurred significantly more often in women (p < 0.001). ERCP was significantly more often inconclusive in cases of a diverticulum, 12.8% versus 6.3%, p < 0.001. In cases of a successful ERCP, patients with diverticuli showed more often no abnormalities in the bile duct, 26% versus 17%, p < 0.001. In 64% of cases, the reason for ERCP was cholestasis. There was no significant difference in presence of stones or cholangitis. Biliary pancreatitis was seen more often in patients without diverticuli, 4.4% versus 1.4%, p = 0.04. This was also the case for malignancies, 18.5% versus 6.6%, p < 0.001. Conclusion. It is concluded that duodenal diverticuli can be responsible for cholestasis. Presence of a diverticulum in the duodenum makes the ERCP procedure more complex.

Individual polyp detection rate in routine daily endoscopy practice depends on case-mix.

INTRODUCTION: The adenoma detection rate (ADR), a marker of endoscopic quality, is confounded by selection bias. It is not known what the ADR is in normal daily practice. AIM: To study the polyp detection rate (PDR) in different endoscopists in the course of years. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All consecutive endoscopies of the colon done in 11 years were included. Endoscopies in the regular surveillance programme after polyp removal and after surgery because of colorectal cancer or diverticular disease were scored separately. The number of yearly procedures per endoscopist and presence of polyps, anastomoses, surveillance and cancer were noted. RESULTS: In the period of 11 years, 14,908 consecutive endoscopies of colon and rectum were done by four endoscopists. Two endoscopists had a significantly lower PDR than the other two (p < 0.001), these two had the longest careers in endoscopy. The two younger endoscopists did significantly less often procedures in patients with anastomoses and because of surveillance (p < 0.001, respectively). One endoscopist detected significantly less colorectal cancers than the other three endoscopists (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This study presents the PDR in normal routine daily endoscopy practice. It can be concluded that the PDR, implicating the ADR, in unselected patients can be lower in individual endoscopists than recommended in the literature. This highly depends on the case-mix of patients presented for endoscopy. This result debates the use of the ADR as quality indicator for individual endoscopists.

The incidence of colorectal cancer is decreasing in the older age cohorts in the zaanstreek region in the Netherlands: an age-cohort effect.

Introduction. Colorectal cancer (CRC) has a high incidence. Removal of adenomas, the precursor lesion, could be helpful in the prevention of cancer. Aim. To investigate the yearly incidence of CRC in consecutive years. Patients and Methods. All patients diagnosed with CRC in the years 1990 till 2010 were studied. Date of diagnosis, age at time of diagnosis, gender, and localisation of the tumour were assessed. Results. A total of 1575 incident CRC were diagnosed, 865 men (55%) and 710 women (45%). CRC occurred more often in men. In the course of the years, the occurrence of CRC increased. After exclusion of rectal cancer, the percentage of proximal cancer in the colon shows a trend towards increase in the consecutive years. In the twenty consecutive years, the population of the Zaanstreek region increased from 130.000 to 145.330. There was a significant increase of CRC in the age cohort 51-70 in the period of twenty years, while a significant decreasing incidence of cancer was seen in patients above 71 years. Conclusion. The decreasing incidence of colorectal cancer in the age cohorts above 71 years possibly reflects indirect evidence of an age-cohort effect due to removal of adenomas in these age cohorts earlier in life.

Experience with oesophageal cancer: a ten-year single centre study reflecting daily practice.

Introduction. Studied patients with oesophageal cancer do not represent normal daily presentation. Aim. A retrospective study was done in all consecutive patients in order to describe presentation, treatment, and survival. Patients. All patients in a ten-year period were included. Patients were grouped in three groups. Group 1: no metastases and potentially curable, dead, or alive at time of evaluation. Group 2: patients presenting with metastases and treated with palliative chemotherapy, and group 3: patients with or without metastases but untreatable because of low Karnofsky index or important comorbidity rendering treatment not feasible. Results. One hundred thirty one evaluable patients were included. There was no difference in histological type of the tumour. Patients in group 3 were significantly older. Survival was not different between groups 2 and 3. Survival in group 1 was significantly longer (P < 0.0001) compared with groups 2 and 3. Patients in group 1 received treatment with chemoradiation and surgery. Patients in groups 2 and 3 were more often treated with palliative chemotherapy and endoscopic stenting. Conclusion. The overall survival of oesophageal cancer in normal daily life is poor. Supportive care seems to be the best treatment option in patients with metastases or low Karnofsky index. Palliative chemotherapy does not add to overall survival.

The changing prevalence of upper gastrointestinal endoscopic diagnoses: a single-centre study.

INTRODUCTION: Upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy is increasingly applied in daily practice. Not many data are available on yearly changes in diagnostic yield, nor on changes in morbidity. AIM: To study the possible changes in occurrence of abnormalities in the oesophagus, stomach and duodenum. METHODS: All consecutive upper GI endoscopies performed over a period of 20 years were included. Important diagnoses were defined as: oesophagitis, metaplastic epithelium in the oesophagus, hiatal hernia or defective sphincter, ulcers, erosive or nodular gastritis, operated stomach, and cancer. RESULTS: In the 20-year period, 29,218 upper GI endoscopies were performed. 'Open-access' endoscopy, i.e. at the request of the general practitioner, showed a clear increase in the first ten years and remained stable thereafter. A trend towards an increase in macroscopic abnormalities was seen. The presence of hiatal hernia and defective sphincter showed a significant increase over 20 years, while the number of patients with reflux oesophagitis showed a less impressive, but still significant increase (p<0.001) in the first ten years and remained stable thereafter. There was an impressive decrease in the incidence of peptic ulcer disease. Prevalence of oesophageal cancer showed a gradual increase, although the numbers were very low. CONCLUSIONS: In a period of 20 years the diagnostic yield of upper GI endoscopy showed significant changes. Reflux disease increased in prevalence while peptic ulcer disease decreased.

The yearly prevalence of findings in endoscopy of the lower part of the gastrointestinal tract.

Introduction. Endoscopy of the colon and rectum is increasingly used. Aim of the Study. All consecutive endoscopies of the colon and rectum were studied in order to assess the yearly prevalence of significant endoscopic diagnoses. Methods. All consecutive endoscopies of the colon and rectum were included. Endoscopies were done with endoscopes of Olympus. Significant endoscopic diagnoses were defined as colorectal cancer, polyps, diverticuli, large sessile polyps, and inflammatory bowel disease. Results. In 20 years a total of 24431 endoscopies were done. The yearly number of sigmoidoscopies was mean 96, range of 42-370. The number of colonoscopies was mean 1126, range of 643-1912. The number of colonoscopies significantly increased. The number of colonoscopies on request of an internist or gastroenterologist showed a slow but steady increase. Successful caecal intubation rose from 70% to 92% in 2011. Since 1996 there is a steep increase in the percentage of procedures with abnormalities. The number of cancer and polyps increased in twenty years. No great changes were seen in inflammatory bowel disease. Conclusion. Colonoscopy is a procedure with a high diagnostic yield. The number of patients with tumours rose in twenty years.

Incidence and causes of colonoscopic perforations: a single-center case series.

Perforations are known to occur after colonoscopy. In a consecutive study the localization of the perforation was determined, and the etiology of the perforation was classified as: therapeutic, barotraumatic or mechanical. A colonic perforation occurred in 26 of 19,135 patients (0.14%). In 13 cases (50.0%) the cause of perforation was mechanical, in nine (34.6%) the cause was a barotrauma (cecal blow-out), and in three cases (11.5%) it was due to a therapeutic procedure (coagulation or polypectomy). In one case (3.8%) data were not available. Cecal blow-out occurred significantly more often as a result of barotrauma, whereas perforation of the sigmoid occurred more often as a result of direct mechanical trauma. The risk of perforation after colonoscopy is rather low. Barotrauma due to insufflated air occurs more often than therapeutic perforation due to polypectomy or coagulation. Patients with a higher risk of perforation are those with diverticula in the sigmoid.

What is the consequence of hyperplastic polyps? Do adenomas and colorectal cancer develop in these patients? A clinical study.

AIM: Do patients with hyperplastic polyps (HP) have an increased risk for developing adenomas and colorectal cancer (CRC)? A study was done to detect the number of patients developing adenomas and CRC. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From 1990-1995 all patients with a HP diagnosed via endoscopy and significant follow-up were studied. The patients were separated in three groups; Group 1 HP in patients with previous adenoma and/or CRC. Group 2 HP with a concurrent adenoma and/or CRC. Group 3 patients with only HP. RESULTS: Group 1 consisted of 20 patients, group 2 of 39 patients, and group 3 of 136 patients The follow-up was 12.5, 12.6, and 13.4 years respectively. In group 1 there was one patient with an adenoma in the index investigation.In group 2 adenomas were seen coinciding to hyperplastic polyp(s) in 29 patients, while in 11 cases there was a colorectal cancer. Obviously patients in group 3 only had hyperplastic polyps. In group 1 7 patients previously had an adenoma and 12 previously had colorectal cancer. Four patients in group 3 developed cancer : 13, 14, 15, and 15 years after the detection of a hyperplastic polyp. In group 2 only one patient developed cancer in the cecum 9 years after the index investigation. In the four patients of group 3 who developed cancer no one previously had a serrated adenoma at revision of the original histology. Twelve patients developed an adenoma. CONCLUSION: Only five CRC's developed in patients with HP. Thus, at the best the risk for developing CRC in patients with HP is not very high and equals that of adenomas.