Trial Information

Colonoscopic Screening in First-degree Relatives of Hong Kong Chinese Patients With Sporadic Colorectal Cancer: a Cohort Study With Case Control Analysis

Colorectal cancer is a second commonest tumor in Hong Kong and the second commonest cause of
cancer related death. About 1 in 23 males will develop colorectal cancer in his life time.
The disease tends to cluster in families. This may be a combination of factors including
shared genes, shared environment or chance. Known familial syndromes occur in only about 5%
of cases. The majority is not well understood and labelled sporadic colorectal cancer. The
screening strategy in families of subjects with colorectal cancer has not been defined.
Colonoscopy is among the most sensitive and specific screening tool for colorectal neoplasm.
The current study determines the prevalence of adenomas among first degree relatives of
patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer. To quantify risk in this cohort, a case control
analysis is used. The prevalence of the cohort is compared to that of a control population.
The control group consists of relatives of patients with normal colonoscopic findings during
the same study period.