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Risk for Colorectal Cancer Is Low for Uncomplicated Diverticulitis

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on May 7, 2024.

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, May 7, 2024 -- The prevalence of colorectal cancer (CRC) is low for patients undergoing colonoscopy after an episode of uncomplicated diverticulitis, according to a study published online April 24 in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

Walker D. Redd, M.D., from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, and colleagues used data from the Gastrointestinal Quality Improvement Consortium registry to examine the prevalence and odds of CRC and advanced colorectal neoplasia on colonoscopy in patients with diverticulitis. The cross-sectional study included patients aged 40 years and older undergoing outpatient colonoscopy for an indication of diverticulitis versus CRC screening.

Data were included for 4,591,921 outpatient colonoscopies performed for screening and 91,993 colonoscopies for diverticulitis follow-up. The researchers found that the prevalence of CRC was 0.33 and 0.31 percent for colonoscopies for screening and colonoscopies for diverticulitis, respectively. Patients with diverticulitis were less likely to have CRC compared with those undergoing screening colonoscopy (adjusted odds ratio, 0.84). The prevalence of CRC decreased to 0.17 percent in colonoscopies performed for diverticulitis only. Patients with diverticulitis as the only indication were less likely to have CRC compared with those undergoing colonoscopy for CRC screening (adjusted odds ratio, 0.49). In patients with complicated diverticulitis, the prevalence of CRC increased to 1.43 percent. Patients with complicated diverticulitis were more likely to have CRC than those undergoing screening (adjusted odds ratio, 3.57).

"Recommendations for colonoscopy after uncomplicated diverticulitis in patients current with CRC screening and without alarm symptoms should be reconsidered," the authors write.

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Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

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Posted May 2024

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