Objectives To assess the prevalence of polyps in asymptomatic patients undergoing colonoscopy
for screening, comparing patients with a family history of colorectal cancer to those
without a family history.
Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted on a group of individuals who underwent colonoscopy
between January 2019 and April 2024. Patients were divided into two groups: Group
I (without a family history of colorectal cancer) and Group II (with a family history
in first-degree relatives). Demographic characteristics, colonoscopy findings, presence,
location, and histological type of polyps were evaluated and compared between the
two groups.
Results A total of 1,497 patients were evaluated, with 1,367 in Group I and 130 in Group
II. Polypoid lesions were found in 550 patients (36.7%), with 506 (37%) in Group I
and 44 (33.8%) in Group II. In Group I, 243 (48%) had hyperplastic polyps, 188 (37%)
had adenomatous polyps (120 tubular with low-grade dysplasia, 40 tubular with high-grade
dysplasia, 28 tubulovillous with high-grade dysplasia), and 75 (15%) had inflammatory
polyps. In Group II, 22 (50%) had hyperplastic polyps, 20 (45.4%) had adenomatous
polyps (12 tubular with low-grade dysplasia, 6 tubular with low-grade dysplasia, 4
tubulovillous with high-grade dysplasia), and 2 (4.6%) had inflammatory polyps. There
was no statistically significant difference between the groups (p=0.83). The prevalence
of adenomas was similar in both groups (Group I = 188/37% vs Group II = 20/45.4%)
(p=0.83). The distribution of patients with polyps was similar in terms of sex, with
polyps found in 339 (40%) female patients and 167 (31%) male patients in Group I (p=1.00),
and in 33 (37%) female patients and 11 (21%) male patients in Group II (p=1.00).
Conclusion In this initial study, no correlation was found between the prevalence of polyps
and a family history of colorectal cancer.
