Detection and analysis of serum bile acid profile in patients with colonic polyps

BACKGROUND Analyzing the variations in serum bile acid(BA)profile can provide a certain biological basis for early warning and prevention of various diseases.There is currently no comprehensive study on the relationship between the serum BA profile and colonic polyps.AIM To study the serum BA profile detection results of patients with colonic polyps,and analyze the correlation between BA and colonic polyps.METHODS From January 1,2022,to June 1,2023,204 patients with colonic polyps who were diagnosed and treated at Zhongda Hospital Southeast University were chosen as the study subjects,and 135 non-polyp people who underwent physical examination were chosen as the control group.Gathering all patients'clinical information,typical biochemical indicators,and BA profile.RESULTS Compared with the control group,the serum levels of taurocholic acid,glycocholic acid,glycochenodeoxycholic acid,and taurochenodeoxycholic acid in the colonic polyp group were significantly higher than those in the control group,while the content of deoxycholic acid(DCA)was lower than that in the control group(P<0.05).When colonic polyps were analyzed as subgroups,it was shown that there was a strong correlation between changes in the BA profile and polyp diameter,location,morphology,pathological kind,etc.CONCLUSION The serum BA profile showed significant changes in patients with colonic polyps,with a significant increase in primary conjugated BA content and a decrease in secondary free bile acid DCA content.There is a certain correlation between primary free BA and pathological parameters of polyps.

Automated Colonic Polyp Detection and Classification Enabled Northern Goshawk Optimization with Deep Learning

The major mortality factor relevant to the intestinal tract is the growth of tumorous cells(polyps)in various parts.More specifically,colonic polyps have a high rate and are recognized as a precursor of colon cancer growth.Endoscopy is the conventional technique for detecting colon polyps,and considerable research has proved that automated diagnosis of image regions that might have polyps within the colon might be used to help experts for decreasing the polyp miss rate.The automated diagnosis of polyps in a computer-aided diagnosis(CAD)method is implemented using statistical analysis.Nowadays,Deep Learning,particularly throughConvolution Neural networks(CNN),is broadly employed to allowthe extraction of representative features.This manuscript devises a new Northern Goshawk Optimization with Transfer Learning Model for Colonic Polyp Detection and Classification(NGOTL-CPDC)model.The NGOTL-CPDC technique aims to investigate endoscopic images for automated colonic polyp detection.To accomplish this,the NGOTL-CPDC technique comprises of adaptive bilateral filtering(ABF)technique as a noise removal process and image pre-processing step.Besides,the NGOTL-CPDC model applies the Faster SqueezeNet model for feature extraction purposes in which the hyperparameter tuning process is performed using the NGO optimizer.Finally,the fuzzy Hopfield neural network(FHNN)method can be employed for colonic poly detection and classification.A widespread simulation analysis is carried out to ensure the improved outcomes of the NGOTL-CPDC model.The comparison study demonstrates the enhancements of the NGOTL-CPDC model on the colonic polyp classification process on medical test images.

Colonic schistosomiasis mimicking cancer,polyp,and inflammatory bowel disease:Five case reports and review of literature

BACKGROUND Schistosomiasis,officially named as a neglected tropical disease by The World Health Organization,is a serious parasitic disease caused by trematode flukes of the genus Schistosoma.It is a common infectious disease,endemic in more than 78 countries.The disease can involve various organs and poses far-reaching public health challenges.CASE SUMMARY Here,we present a series of five patients with variable presentations:an asymptomatic patient who was diagnosed with colonic schistosomiasis upon screening colonoscopy;2 patients with clinical suspicion of colonic cancer;and 2 patients with a clinical diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease.All patients were subsequently confirmed to have colonic schistosomiasis after colonoscopy and histopathologic examination.The clinical manifestations,colonoscopy features and histologic findings of the patients are described.Most of the patients showed significant clinical improvement following administration of oral praziquantel.CONCLUSION Intestinal schistosomiasis can present with features mimicking other gastrointestinal conditions.This disease should be a diagnostic consideration in patients who live in or have traveled to endemic areas.

Interendoscopist variability in proximal colon polyp detection is twice higher for serrated polyps than adenomas

AIM To assess the interendoscopist variability in the detection of colorectal polyps according to their location and histological type.METHODS This study was a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data from a regional colorectal cancer(CRC) screening program; 2979 complete colonoscopies from 18 endoscopists were included. Variability in performance between endoscopists for detection of at least one adenoma(A), one proximal adenoma(PA), one distal adenoma(DA), and one proximal serrated polyp(PSP) was assessed by using multilevel logistic regression models.RESULTS The observed detection rates among the 18 endoscopists ranged from 24.6% to 47.6%(mean = 35.7%) for A, from 19.1% to 39.0%(mean = 29.4%) for DA, from 6.0% to 22.9%(mean = 12.4%) for PA, and from 1.3% to 19.3%(mean = 6.9%) for PSP.After adjusting for patient-level variables(sex, age), the interendoscopist detection rates variability achieved a significant level for A, PA, and PSP but not for DA(P = 0.03, P = 0.02, P = 0.02 and P = 0.08, respectively). This heterogeneity, as measured by the variance partition coefficient, was approximately threefold higher for PA(6.6%) compared with A(2.1%), and twofold higher for PSP(12.3%) compared with PA.CONCLUSION These results demonstrate significant interendoscopist variability for proximal polyp particularly for serrated p o l y p s, b u t n o t f o r d i s t a l a d e n o m a d e t e c t i o n. These findings contribute to explain the decreased effectiveness of complete colonoscopies at preventing proximal CRCs and the need to carefully assess the proximal colon during scope procedure.

Short turn radius colonoscope in an anatomical model: Retroflexed withdrawal and detection of hidden polyps

AIM: To evaluate the new Retro View^(TM) colonoscope and compare its ability to detect simulated polyps "hidden" behind colonic folds with that of a conventional colonoscope, utilizing anatomic colon models.METHODS: Three anatomic colon models were prepared,with twelve simulated polyps "hidden" behind haustral folds and five placed in easily viewed locations in each model. Five blinded endoscopists examined two colon models in random order with the conventional or Retro View^(TM) colonoscope, utilizing standard withdrawal technique. The third colon model was then examined with the Retro View^(TM) colonoscope withdrawn initially in retroflexion and then in standard withdrawal. Polyp detection rates during standard and retroflexed withdrawal of the conventional and Retro View^(TM) colonoscopes were determined. Polyp detection rates for combined standard and retroflexed withdrawal(combination withdrawal) with the Retro View^(TM) colonoscope were also determined.RESULTS: For hidden polyps, retroflexed withdrawal using the Retro View^(TM) colonoscope detected more polyps than the conventional colonoscope in standard withdrawal(85% vs 12%, P = 0.0001). For hidden polyps, combination withdrawal with the Retro View^(TM) colonoscope detected more polyps than the conventional colonoscope in standard withdrawal(93% vs 12%, P ≤ 0.0001). The Retro View^(TM) colonoscope in "combination withdrawal" was superior to other methods in detecting all(hidden + easily visible) polyps, with successful detection of 80 of 85 polyps(94%) compared to 28(32%) polyps detected by the conventional colonoscope in standard withdrawal(P < 0.0001) and 67(79%) polyps detected by the Retro View^(TM) colonoscope in retroflexed withdrawal alone(P < 0.01). Continuous withdrawal of the colonoscope through the colon model while retroflexed was achieved by all endoscopists. In a post-test survey, four out of five colonoscopists reported that manipulation of the colonoscope was easy or very easy.CONCLUSION: In simulated testing, the Retro View^(TM) colonoscope increased detection of hidden polyps. Combining standard withdrawal with retroflexed withdrawal may become the new paradigm for "complete screening colonoscopy".

Simple colonoscopy reporting system checking the detection rate of colon polyps

AIM: To present a simple colonoscopy reporting system that can be checked easily the detection rate of colon polyps.METHODS: A simple colonoscopy reporting system Kosin Gastroenterology(KG quality reporting system) was developed. The polyp detection rate(PDR),adenoma detection rate(ADR),serrated polyp detection rate(SDR),and advanced adenoma detection rate(AADR) are easily calculated to use this system.RESULTS: In our gastroenterology center,the PDR,ADR,SDR,and AADR test results from each gastroenterologist were updated,every month. Between June 2014,when the program was started,and December 2014,the overall PDR and ADR in our center were 62.5% and 41.4%,respectively. And the overall SDR and AADR were 7.5% and 12.1%,respectively.CONCLUSION: We envision that KG quality reporting system can be applied to develop a comprehensive system to check colon polyp detection rates in other gastroenterology centers.

Predictive factors and model validation of post-colon polyp surgery Helicobacter pylori infection

BACKGROUND Recently,research has linked Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori)stomach infection to colonic inflammation,mediated by toxin production,potentially impacting colorectal cancer occurrence.AIM To investigate the risk factors for post-colon polyp surgery,H.pylori infection,and its correlation with pathologic type.METHODS Eighty patients who underwent colon polypectomy in our hospital between January 2019 and January 2023 were retrospectively chosen.They were then randomly split into modeling(n=56)and model validation(n=24)sets using R.The modeling cohort was divided into an H.pylori-infected group(n=37)and an H.pylori-uninfected group(n=19).Binary logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the factors influencing the occurrence of H.pylori infection after colon polyp surgery.A roadmap prediction model was established and validated.Finally,the correlation between the different pathological types of colon polyps and the occurrence of H.pylori infection was analyzed after colon polyp surgery.RESULTS Univariate results showed that age,body mass index(BMI),literacy,alcohol consumption,polyp pathology type,high-risk adenomas,and heavy diet were all influential factors in the development of H.pylori infection after intestinal polypectomy.Binary multifactorial logistic regression analysis showed that age,BMI,and type of polyp pathology were independent predictors of the occurrence of H.pylori infection after intestinal polypectomy.The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.969[95%confidence interval(95%CI):0.928–1.000]and 0.898(95%CI:0.773–1.000)in the modeling and validation sets,respectively.The slope of the calibration curve of the graph was close to 1,and the goodness-of-fit test was P>0.05 in the two sets.The decision analysis curve showed a high rate of return in both sets.The results of the correlation analysis between different pathological types and the occurrence of H.pylori infection after colon polyp surgery showed that hyperplastic polyps,inflammatory polyps,and the occurrence of H.pylori infection were not significantly correlated.In contrast,adenomatous polyps showed a significant positive correlation with the occurrence of H.pylori infection.CONCLUSION Age,BMI,and polyps of the adenomatous type were independent predictors of H.pylori infection after intestinal polypectomy.Moreover,the further constructed column-line graph prediction model of H.pylori infection after intestinal polypectomy showed good predictive ability.

Schistosomal(bilharzial)polyps:Travel through the colon and beyond

Schistosomiasis(bilharziasis)is a major neglected tropical disease.It is endemic in many tropical and subtropical communities.Schistosomal polyps(S.polyps)are not uncommon presentation of this infection.Although the colon is the most commonly affected organ,many other organs are affected.S.polyps are associated with a variable range of morbidity independent of the Schistosomal infection.S.polyps are frequently described in endemic areas and increasingly reported in non-endemic areas mainly among immigrants and visitors to the endemic areas.This review aimed to increase awareness of practitioners,especially gastroenterologists,for this peculiar type of polyps caused by this neglected infection hence improving patient outcomes.Web-based search of different databases was conducted for the literature focusing the development of S.polyps in the colon and other organs with analysis of the clinical manifestations,diagnosis and treatment.The following key words were used in the search,“Schistosomiasis”OR“Bilharziasis”AND“Polyps”OR“Polyp”AND“Colon”OR“Small intestine”OR“Duodenum”OR“Stomach”OR“Esophagus”OR”Gallbladder”OR”Pharynx”OR“Larynx”OR“Trachea”OR”Urinary bladder”OR“Ureter”OR“Renal Pelvis”OR“Urethra”.All publication types including case reports,case series,original research,and review articles were retrieved and analyzed.S.polyps are not infrequent presentation of acute or chronic Schistosomal infection.S.polyps are described in many organs including the bowel,genitourinary tract,skin,gallbladder and the larynx.Presentation of S.polyps is variable and depends on the site,number as well as the polyp size.The relationship of S.polyps to malignant transformation is a matter of discussion.Presence of S.polyps is sometimes the only manifestation of Schistosomiasis.Small polyps can be treated medically with praziquantel,while large accessible polyps are amendable for endoscopic excision through different polyp resection techniques.However,huge,complicated,non-accessible and suspicious polyps are indicated for surgical management or advanced endoscopic resection when appropriate.Clinicians and endoscopists should be aware about these facts when treating patients living in,immigrated from or visiting endemic areas.

Barriers in early detection of colorectal cancer and exploring potential solutions

This editorial discusses the literature review article by Tonini and Zanni,the paper was published in January 2024,and the authors provided very interesting conclusions regarding existing barriers to the early diagnosis of colon cancer.Many cancers do not have identifiable precursors,or there are currently no screening tests to find them.Therefore,these cancers do not have preventive screening options.Early detection is crucial for reducing mortality rates by identifying cancer at an earlier stage through screening,as opposed to no screening.Colorectal cancer develops from precancerous lesions,which can be detected early and potentially prevented and cured.Early detection leads to improved survival rates,decreased complications,and reduced healthcare expenses.This editorial provides a brief description of the biology of colon cancer,emphasizing the contrast in outcomes between early detection and late detection.We also describe screening programs around the globe and examine the barriers in each program.Finally,we explore potential future solutions to enhance inclusion in screening programs and improve patient compliance.

Cold snare polypectomy:A closer look at the efficacy and limitations for polyps 10-20 mm in size

Current guidelines recommend cold snare polypectomy for polyps less than 10 mm in size.Conversely,endoscopic mucosal resection is still the preferred technique for larger polyps.Concerns regarding cold snare polypectomy for larger polyps revolve around the difficulty in conducting en-bloc resection(resulting in piecemeal removal),and the potential for local residual polyp tissue and a high rate of recurrence.On the other hand,cold snare technique has the advantages of shortening procedure time,reducing delayed bleeding risks and lowering cost of treatment.Numerous ongoing and recent studies are focused on evaluating the risks and benefits of this technique for polyps larger than 10 mm,with the goal of providing clear guidelines in the near future.The aim of this editorial is to provide our readers with an overview regarding this subject and the latest developments surrounding it.

Association between CYP24A1 polymorphisms and the risk of colonic polyps and colon cancer in a Chinese population

AIM To determine the pathogenesis and potential single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs) as screening sites for colonic polyps,colon cancer and ulcerative colitis,and to analyze the possible association between these genetic polymorphisms and the three diseases. METHODS We evaluated genetic polymorphisms in 144 newly diagnosed colonic polyp patients,96 colon cancer patients and 44 ulcerative colitis patients. The four SNPs genotyped were rs4809957,rs6068816,rs6091822 and rs8124792. The control group consisted of 504 East Asians enrolled in the 1000 Genomes Project. Correlations between CYP24A1 SNPs and the diseases were analyzed by Fisher's exact probability test.RESULTS CYP24A1 polymorphisms rs4809957 A/G and rs6068816 C/T showed a statistically significant association with risk of the three diseases,when both the genotypes and allele frequencies were considered. With regard to rs6091822 G/T,all three diseases were related to risk allele carriers(GT + TT) vs wild-type(GG),but the associations between the allele frequencies and the diseases were not significant. The risk of colonic polyps and colon cancer was related to the allele frequencies of rs8124792 G/A,and this association remained for genotype frequencies of this SNP. CONCLUSION Four SNPs are related to the risk of colonic polyps and colon cancer. G allele in rs6091822 G/T may play an anti-cancer role only if it is homozygous. The A allele,which is a minor component of rs8124792,may be indicated in the diagnosis of colonic polyps or colon cancer rather than ulcerative colitis.

Prevalence of advanced colonic polyps in asymptomatic Chinese

AIM: To investigate the prevalence of advanced polyps in asymptomatic Chinese and to determine the risk of proximal advanced colonic polyps in subjects with and without polyps in the distal colon.METHODS: Data were collected prospectively during colonoscopic examinations performed in 5 973 subjects as part of health evaluation at our unit from December 1997 to December 2003. Polyps were considered advanced, if they were larger than 10 mm or were tubovillous, villous or malignant. Proximal colon was defined as the splenic flexure and more proximal portions of the colon.RESULTS: Colon polyps were detected in 971 (16.3%)subjects (613 males and 358 females) with their mean age being 56.6±10.7 years. Advanced polyps were noted in 199 (3.3%) individuals. Subjects were sub-classified according to the location of polyps into three groups: distal (569, 58.6%), proximal (284, 29.2%), and combined proximal and distal (118, 12.2%) groups. Subjects with advanced polyps in these three groups were 95 (9.8%),56 (5.8%), and 48 (4.9%) respectively. In the 48 subjects with advanced combined polyps, 13 advanced polyps were distributed at the distal colon, 17 at the proximal colon,and 18 at both. Eighteen colon cancers including 12 at sigmoid and 6 at ascending colon were confirmed by final pathology. The relative risk for advanced proximal polyp according to distal findings was 3.1 (95%CI: 1.3-7.4) for hyperplastic polyp, 2.7 (95%CI: 1.4-5.3) for tubular polyp and 13.5 (95%CI: 5.1-35.4) for advanced polyp as compared to that for no polyp. However, 56 (28.2%) of 199 subjects with advanced polyps had no index polyps at the distal colon and might go undetected under sigmoidoscopic screening.CONCLUSION: Although distal lesions can predict the risk of advanced proximal polyps, a substantial portion of Chinese with advanced proximal polyps is not associated with any distal sentinel lesions. These data have implications for screening policy of colon cancers in Taiwan Residents Chinese.

Colonic polyps: Is it useful to characterize them with advanced endoscopy?

There have been major developments in endoscopic imaging techniques in recent years.Endoscopes with high definition and magnification can provide high quality images that allow for the histological estimation of lesions in vivo and in situ when combined with ancillary enhancement techniques such as chromoendoscopy(CE)and virtual CE(narrow band imaging fujinon intelligent chromoendoscopy,or i-Scan).Despite the enormous potential for these advanced techniques,their value and feasibility in the clinic are still doubted,particularly in cases of colonic polyps that are slated for removal,where in vivo characterization may be deemed unnecessary.However,there are several advantages offered by such advanced endoscopic imaging.CE with or without magnification demonstrates highly accurate histology and invasion depth prediction,and virtual CE is a feasible and less cumbersome alternative to CE in terms of histological estimation,though not sufficiently accurate for depth invasion prediction.Furthermore,the supplementary information provided by advanced imaging systems can assist the endoscopist in the selection of a strategic approach,such as in deciding whether a colonic lesion should be resected,left in situ,or requires more intensive surgical treatment.Lastly,advanced high-resolution imaging techniques may be more cost effective,such that histopathology of lowrisk lesions following resection can be eliminated.The results of these evaluations and comparisons with traditional CE are presented and discussed.Taken together,the benefits provided by these advanced capabilities justify their development,and advocates their use for the treatment and management of colonic polyps.

Management of local recurrence after endoscopic resection of neoplastic colonic polyps

A proportion of neoplastic polyps are incompletely resected, resulting in local recurrence, especially after resection of large polyps or piecemeal resection. Local recurrences that develop after endoscopic resection of intramucosal neoplasms that lacked risk factors for lymph node metastasis or positive vertical margins are usually treated endoscopically. Endoscopic submucosal dissection(ESD) is indicated for local residual or recurrent early carcinomas after endoscopic resection. However, ESD for such recurrent lesions is technically difficult and is typically a lengthy procedure. Underwater endoscopic mucosal resection(UEMR), which was developed in 2012, is suitable for recurrent or residual lesions and reportedly achieves superior en bloc resection rates and endoscopic complete resection rates than conventional EMR. However, a large recurrent lesion is a negative independent predictor of successful en bloc resection and of complete endoscopic removal. We therefore perform UEMR for relatively small(≤ 10-15 mm) recurrent lesions and ESD for larger lesions.

Polyp detection rate and pathological features in patients undergoing a comprehensive colonoscopy screening

AIMTo identify the prevalence, and clinical and pathologic characteristic of colonic polyps among Iranian patients undergoing a comprehensive colonoscopy, and determine the polyp detection rate (PDR) and adenoma detection rate (ADR). METHODSIn this cross-sectional study, demographics and epidemiologic characteristics of 531 persons who underwent colonoscopies between 2014 and 2015 at Mehrad gastrointestinal clinic were determined. Demographics, indication for colonoscopy, colonoscopy findings, number of polyps, and histopathological characteristics of the polyps were examined for each person. RESULTSOur sample included 295 (55.6%) women and 236 (44.4%) men, with a mean age of 50.25 ± 14.89 years. Overall PDR was 23.5% (125/531). ADR and colorectal cancer detection rate in this study were 12.8% and 1.5%, respectively. Polyps were detected more significantly frequently in men than in women (52.8% vs 47.2%, P vs 56.4 years, P CONCLUSIONThe prevalence of polyps and adenomas in this study is less than that reported in the Western populations. In our patients, distal colon is more susceptible to developing polyps and cancer than proximal colon.

Comparative effectiveness of i-SCAN^(TM) and high-definition white light characterizing small colonic polyps

AIM： To evaluate accuracy of in vivo diagnosis of ad- enomatous vs non-adenomatous polyps using/-SCAN digital chromoendoscopy compared with high-definition white light. METHODS： This is a single-center comparative effec- tiveness pilot study. Polyps （n = 103） from 75 average- risk adult outpatients undergoing screening or surveil- lance colonoscopy between December 1, 2010 and April 1, 2011 were evaluated by two participating en- doscopists in an academic outpatient endoscopy center. Polyps were evaluated both with high-definition white light and with/-SCAN to make an/n vivo prediction of adenomatous vs non-adenomatous pathology. We de- termined diagnostic characteristics of/-SCAN and high- definition white light, including sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy, with regards to identifying adenomatous vs non-adenomatous polyps. Histopathologic diagnosis was the gold standard comparison. RESULTS： One hundred and three small polyps, de- tected from forty-three patients, were included in the analysis. The average size of the polyps evaluated in the analysis was 3.7 mm （SD 1.3 mm, range 2 mm to 8 mm）. Formal histopathology revealed that 54/103 （52.4%） were adenomas, 26/103 （25.2%） were hyper- plastic, and 23/103 （22.3%） were other diagnoses in- clude ＂lymphoid aggregates＂, ＂non-specific colitis,＂ and ＂no pathologic diagnosis.＂ Overall, the combined accu- racy of endoscopists for predicting adenomas was iden- tical between/-SCAN （71.8%, 95%CI： 62.1%-80.3%） and high-definition white light （71.8%, 95%CI： 62.1%-80.3%）. However, the accuracy of each endosco- pist differed substantially, where endoscopist A demon- strated 63.0% overall accuracy （95%CI： 50.9%-74.0%） as compared with endoscopist B demonstrating 93.3% overall accuracy （95%CI： 77.9%-99.2%）, irrespective of imaging modality. Neither endoscopist demonstrated a significant learning effect with i-SCAN during the study. Though endoscopist A increased accuracy using/-SCAN from 59% （95%CI： 42.1%-74.4%） in the first half to 67.6% （95%CI： 49.5%-82.6%） in the second half, and endoscopist B decreased accuracy usingi-SCAN from 100% （95%CI： 80.5%-100.0%） in the first half to 84.6% （95%CI： 54.6%-98.1%） in the second half, nei- ther of these differences were statistically significant. CONCLUSION：i-SCAN and high-definition white light had similar efficacy predicting polyp histology. Endosco- pist training likely plays a critical role in diagnostic test characteristics and deserves further study.

Association between colonic polyps and diverticular disease

AIM: To evaluate the association between colonic polyps and diverticular disease in Japan. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 672 consecutive patients who underwent total colonoscopy between August 2006 and April 2007 at Nishinjo Hospital, Okinawa, Japan. Patients with a history of any of the following were excluded from the study: previous polypectomy, colonic resection, and inflammatory bowel diseases. The association between colonic polyps and diverticular disease was analyzed by logistic regression analysis, adjusted for age and sex. RESULTS: Prevalence of colonic polyps in all patients with diverticular disease was significantly higher than that in those without diverticular disease (adjusted odds ratio 1.7). CONCLUSION: Our data showed that patients with diverticular disease have a higher risk of colonic polyps compared to those without.

BRAF inhibitor treatment of melanoma causing colonic polyps:An alternative hypothesis

Colonic polyps may arise from BRAF inhibitor treatment of melanoma, possibly due to paradoxical activation of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP)-kinase pathway. In an alternative evidence based scenario, tubular colonic adenomas with APC gene mutations have also been identified in the context of BRAF inhibitor treatment, in the absence of mutations of MAPK genes. A minority of colorectal cancers develop by an alternative “serrated polyp pathway”. This article postulates a novel hypothesis, that the established phenotypic and molecular characteristics of serrated colonic polyps/CRC offer an intriguing insight into the pathobiology of BRAF inhibitor induced colonic polyps. Serrated polyps are characterized by a CpG island methylation phenotype, MLH1 silencing and cellular senescence. They also have BRAF mutations. The contention is that BRAF inhibitor induced polyps mimic the afore-described histology and molecular features of serrated polyps with the exception that instead of the presence of BRAF mutations they induce C-RAF homodimers and B-RAF: C-RAF heterodimers.

Does hyoscine butylbromide really improve polyp detection during colonoscopy? A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

AIM: To investigate the benefits of hyoscine butylbromide in polyp detection during colonoscopy by a meta-analysis of available randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

Endoscopic mucosal ablation-an alternative treatment for colonic polyps:Three case reports

BACKGROUND Endoscopic resection of non-invasive lesions is now the standard of care for lesions in the GI tract.However,resection techniques require extensive training,are not available in all endoscopy centers and are prone to complications.Endoscopic mucosal ablation(EMA)is a combination of resection and ablation techniques and it may offer an alternative in the management of such lesions.CASE SUMMARY In this case series we report the successful treatment of three flat colonic polyps using the EMA technique.Two lesions were treatment naïve and 1 was a recurrence after an endoscopic mucosal resection.The sizes ranged from 2 to 4 cm.All three polyps were ablated successfully with no immediate or delayed complications.The recurrence rate at 1 year of follow up was 0%.CONCLUSION Based on this initial experience,we conclude that EMA is a safe and effective technique for the treatment of non-invasive colonic polyps when endoscopic resection techniques are not available.