Risk of Metachronous Advanced Colorectal Neoplasia After Removal of Diminutive Versus Small Nonadvanced Adenomas: A Multicenter Study.

BACKGROUND: Current postpolypectomy guidelines treat 1-9 mm nonadvanced adenomas (NAAs) as carrying the same level of risk for metachronous advanced colorectal neoplasia (ACRN). AIMS: To evaluate whether small (6-9 mm) NAAs are associated with a greater risk of metachronous ACRN than diminutive (1-5 mm) NAAs. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 10,060 index colonoscopies performed from July 2011 to June 2019. A total of 1369 patients aged ≥ 40 years with index NAAs and having follow-up examinations were categorized into 5 groups based on size and number of index findings: Group 1, ≤ 2 diminutive NAAs (n = 655); Group 2, ≤ 2 small NAAs (n = 529); Group 3, 3-4 diminutive NAAs (n = 78); Group 4, 3-4 small NAAs (n = 65); and Group 5, 5-10 NAAs (n = 42). Size was classified based on the largest NAA. ACRN was defined as finding an advanced adenoma or colorectal cancer at follow-up. RESULTS: The absolute risk of metachronous ACRN increased from 7.2% in patients with all diminutive NAAs to 12.2% in patients with at least 1 small NAA (P = 0.002). Patients in Group 2 (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.89; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.21-2.95), Group 3 (AOR 2.40; 95% CI 1.78-4.90), Group 4 (AOR 2.77; 95% CI 1.35-5.66), and Group 5 (AOR 3.71; 95% CI 1.65-8.37) were associated with an increased risk of metachronous ACRN compared with Group 1. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with small NAAs have an increased risk of metachronous ACRN. Postpolypectomy guidelines should consider including risk stratification between small and diminutive adenomas.

Older Age and High α-Fetoprotein Predict Higher Risk of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Chronic Hepatitis-B-Related Cirrhotic Patients Receiving Long-Term Nucleos(t)ide Analogue Therapy.

Background: Nucleos(t)ide analogues (NUCs) were proved to reduce hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients, but data were limited on their efficacy in cirrhotic CHB patients. Methods: A total of 447 cirrhotic CHB patients treated with tenofovir/entecavir were retrospectively analyzed and divided into HCC (n = 48) and non-HCC (n = 399) groups. The median follow-up period was 62.1 months. Results: A total of 48 patients (10.7%) developed HCC during surveillance. The annual incidence rate of HCC was 2.04 per 100 person-years. The cumulative incidence of HCC was 0.9%, 9.8%, and 22.1% at 1, 5, and 10 years, respectively. Significant predictors for HCC identified using a multiple Cox regression analysis were age ≥50 years (hazard ratio (HR): 2.34) and α-fetoprotein (AFP) ≥8 ng/mL (HR: 2.05). The incidence rate of HCC was 8.67-fold higher in patients with age ≥50 years and AFP ≥8 ng/mL (3.14 per 100 person-years) than those with age <50 years and AFP <8 ng/mL (0.36 per 100 person-years). Conclusions: Cirrhotic CHB patients with age <50 years and AFP <8 ng/mL had the lowest annual incidence of HCC. However, those with age ≥50 years or/and AFP ≥8 ng/mL had a significantly higher risk for HCC development and warrant a careful surveillance schedule.