Pre-cancerous colon polyps in the young – incidental adenoma detection in average-risk persons forty and younger

Abstract

Of 166 consecutive diagnostic colonoscopies performed on persons aged forty and under (excluding those at an increased risk of colon neoplasms) by a single gastroenterologist in community practice with an Adenoma Detection Rate (ADR) approaching 70% in average-risk screening colons in persons over fifty, 34 had incidentally detected colon adenomas and 38 had serrated polyps. We suggest routine tabulation of incidentally detected polyps in young people to better understand colon neoplasm biology and plan prevention strategies.