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Endoscopy 2010; 42(4): 279-285
DOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1244020
Original article

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Prevalence of nonpolypoid colorectal neoplasia: An Italian multicenter observational study

M.  A.  Bianco1 , L.  Cipolletta1 , G.  Rotondano1 , F.  Buffoli2 , G.  Gizzi3 , F.  Tessari4 , on behalf of the Flat Lesions Italian Network (FLIN)
  • 1Gastroenterologia, Ospedale “A. Maresca,” Torre del Greco, Italy
  • 2Gastroenterologia, Azienda Ospedaliera di Cremona, Italy
  • 3Dipartimento di Medicina Interna e Gastroenterologia, University of Bologna, Italy
  • 4EDP “Idea 99,” Padua, Italy
Further Information

Publication History

submitted 28 October 2009

accepted after revision 4 February 2010

Publication Date:
16 March 2010 (online)

Also available at
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Corrected by:

Prevalence of nonpolypoid colorectal neoplasia: An Italian multicenter observational studyEndoscopy 2010; 42(07): 563-563
DOI: 10.1055/s-0030-1255547

See also:

Commentaire de travail de M. A. Bianco et al., pp. 279Endoscopy 2010; 42(04): 350-350
DOI: 10.1055/s-0031-1291849

Background and study aim: The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of nonpolypoid lesions (NPLs) in Italy and their risk of containing neoplasia or advanced histology.

Patients and methods: This was a multicenter cross-sectional observational study on consecutive patients undergoing total colonoscopy over a 3-month period in 80 Italian centers.

Results: In all, 27 400 total colonoscopies were analyzed. Cancer was diagnosed in 801 patients (2.9 %). A total of 6553 precancerous lesions were detected in 5609 patients. Of these, 4154 patients (74.1 %) had polypoid lesions and 1455 patients (25.9 %) had NPLs. Therefore, the prevalence of NPLs was 5.3 % (95 %CI 5.0 – 5.6). NPLs larger than 10 mm were detected in 254 patients (17.5 %). NPLs were more predominant in the proximal colon (OR 2.92, 95 %CI 2.56 – 3.43; P < 0.0001 vs. polypoid lesions). Neoplastic tissue was diagnosed in 79.0 % and advanced histology (high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia or more) in 20.9 % of resected lesions. The risk of advanced histology was similar for polypoid and nonpolypoid lesions when adjusted for size. Depressed lesions had the highest risk of advanced histology (OR 10.56, 95 %CI 6.02 – 18.55; P < 0.0000 vs. flat-elevated). Age was an independent predictor of both neoplasia and advanced histology (P = 0.0001).

Conclusions: NPLs are relatively common in the Italian population, with a prevalence similar to that in other Western series. NPLs are not more aggressive than polypoid lesions, except for those with depressed morphology.

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Maria A. BiancoMD 

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