Abstract
PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to show that the diagnosis of attenuated adenomatous polyposis coli must be made with caution and certainly only after adequate colonic examination with dye-spray. METHODS: Four patients thought to have attenuated adenomatous polyposis coli on the basis of family history and the identification of fewer than 100 polyps on simple colonoscopy underwent colonoscopy with dye-spray. RESULTS: All four individuals were found to have more than 100 polyps when dye-spray was used, confirming a diagnosis of classical familial adenomatous polyposis. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnosis of familial adenomatous polyposis may be missed altogether or incorrectly assigned as attenuated adenomatous polyposis coli if dye-spray is not used at colonoscopy. Patients with a family history of familial adenomatous polyposis or colorectal cancer should be considered for dye-spray before the diagnosis of familial adenomatous polyposis is excluded or one of attenuated adenomatous polyposis coli is made.
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Marina Wallace, Susan Clark, and Ian Frayling were supported by the Imperial Cancer Research Fund.
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Wallace, M.H., Frayling, I.M., Clark, S.K. et al. Attenuated adenomatous polyposis coli. Dis Colon Rectum 42, 1078–1080 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02236707
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02236707