The impact of driving time on participation in colorectal cancer screening with sigmoidoscopy and faecal immunochemical blood test.

BACKGROUND: High participation rates are important for a colorectal cancer (CRC) screening programme to be effective. Having a long travelling distance to screening centres may impede participation. METHODS: We analysed the association between driving time from home address to screening centre and participation among individuals invited to screening with faecal immunochemical test (FIT) (n = 68,624) or sigmoidoscopy (n = 46,076) in a randomized trial in Norway in 2012-17. Two screening centres were involved. We fitted multiple logistic regression models, adjusted for demographic, socioeconomic and health characteristics, and reported odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: Participation rates were 58.9 % (n = 40,445) for FIT and 51.9 % (n = 23,911) for sigmoidoscopy. In sigmoidoscopy, participation was 56.9 % and 47.9 % in those living < 20 and > 60 min by car from the screening centres, respectively. For each 10 min driving time increase, OR for participating in sigmoidoscopy screening was 0.93 (95 % CI 0.91-0.95). There was a significant difference between the two screening centres (p-value for heterogeneity <0.001). Participation in FIT screening were 61.2 % and 57.1 % in those with < 20 and > 60 min driving time, respectively, and the OR was 0.98 (95 % CI 0.96-0.99) for each 10 min increase (heterogeneity between screening methods, P-value <0.001). Among those with a positive FIT, compliance to colonoscopy was higher in those living < 20 compared to > 60 min from the centres (95.1 % vs. 92.9 %, respectively, OR 0.86; 95 % CI 0.77-0.93 for each 10 min increase). CONCLUSIONS: Driving time to screening centre was a significant predictor of participation, mainly in sigmoidoscopy. There were local differences in the impact of driving time on participation. Driving time also affected compliance to colonoscopy after a positive FIT. When planning a CRC screening programme, one should consider offering people living far from screening sites special assistance to facilitate their participation.

Efficacy of sigmoidoscopy for evaluating disease activity in patients with ulcerative colitis.

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic assessment of disease activity is a key parameter in the management of ulcerative colitis. Whether sigmoidoscopy alone is sufficient to evaluate the disease activity in ulcerative colitis lacks studies. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records and endoscopic results of patients with ulcerative colitis followed by colonoscopy in seven tertiary hospitals between January 2012 and December 2018. Endoscopic disease activity was scored using the Mayo endoscopic subscore (MES) and Ulcerative Colitis Endoscopic Index of Severity (UCEIS) for each segment from the colonoscopy images. Concordance was evaluated by comparing the highest MES and UCEIS in the rectosigmoid and proximal regions to confirm the usefulness of sigmoidoscopy. RESULTS: A total of 500 colonoscopic examinations from 333 patients were enrolled. Only in 7.6% [k(kappa): 0.893, r(Spearman): 0.906, p < 0.001] and 8.6% [k(kappa): 0.890, r(Spearman): 0.914; p < 0.001] of cases, MES and UCEIS scored more severely in the proximal colon. Comparison of active disease (MES ≥ 2) in the rectosigmoid area and the entire colon showed a high concordance rate [k(kappa): 0.899, r(Spearman): 0.904, p < 0.001]. Endoscopic healing (MES = 0) also showed a high concordance rate [k(kappa): 0.882, r(Spearman): 0.887, p < 0.001]. In 38 cases (7.6%) of patients with a higher MES in the proximal area, it was significantly higher in patients with previous extensive colitis. CONCLUSIONS: Sigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy showed a high concordance rate. Therefore, sigmoidoscopy is considered a sufficient substitute for colonoscopy. However, colonoscopy should be considered in patients with previous extensive colitis.

Water immersion sigmoidoscopy versus standard insufflation for colorectal cancer screening: A cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Although the efficacy of water-assisted colonoscopy is well established, the role of water immersion sigmoidoscopy (WIS) remains unclear. We compared WIS with carbon dioxide insufflation sigmoidoscopy (CO2S) on patient outcomes. METHODS: We conducted an analysis of prospectively collected data from a single-center quality improvement program about patients undergoing unsedated screening sigmoidoscopy (WIS and CO2S) between May 2019 and January 2020. Outcomes studied included the following: Rates of severe pain <17% (score of ≥7 on a numeric rating scale of 0-10, and on a Likert scale), willingness to repeat the procedure without sedation, adequate bowel cleanliness >75% (proportion of Boston Bowel Preparation Scale score: 2-3) and adenoma detection rate (ADR). RESULTS: In total, 234 patients (111 WIS; 123 CO2S) were included. All patients were aged 58 years and 58.9% were female; baseline characteristics were comparable between groups. There were no significant differences in rates of severe pain (WIS: 16.5%, CO2S: 13.8%; P = 0.586), willingness to repeat the unsedated procedure (WIS: 82.3%, CO2S: 84.5%; P = 0.713), adequate bowel cleanliness (WIS: 78.4%, CO2S: 78%, P = 0.999) or ADR (WIS: 25.2%, CO2S: 16.3%; P = 0.106) between groups. However, average procedure times were longer with WIS (9.06 min) compared to CO2S (6.45 min; P < 0.001). Overall, 29.6% of women reported that they would repeat sigmoidoscopy only if sedated. CONCLUSIONS: WIS does not ameliorate tolerance to and quality of sigmoidoscopy screening measured by several scores. When offered a choice, the women's willingness to repeat WIS or CO2S without sedation was poor and raises concern on the opportunity of screening sigmoidoscopy without sedation in these subjects.

An Observational Analysis of a Novel Digital Rectoscope.

BACKGROUND: This is an analysis of the first 50 in-human uses of a novel digital rigid sigmoidoscope. The technology provides digital image capture, telemedicine capabilities, improved ergonomics, and the ability to biopsy under pneumorectum while maintaining the low cost of conventional rigid sigmoidoscopy. The primary outcome was adverse events, and the secondary outcome was diagnostic view. PRELIMINARY RESULTS: Fifty patients underwent outpatient (n = 25) and surgical rectal assessment (n = 25), with a mean age of 60 years. This included 31 men and 19 women with 12 different clinical use indications. No adverse events were reported, and no defects were reported with the instrumentation. Satisfactory diagnoses were obtained in 48 (96%) of 50 uses, images were captured in 48 (96%) of 50 uses, and biopsies were successfully taken in 13 uses (26%). No adverse events were recorded. Independent reviewers of recorded videos agreed on the quality and diagnostic value of the images with a κ of 0.225 (95% CI, 0.144-0.305) when assessing whether the target pathology was adequately visualized. IMPACT OF INNOVATION: The improved views afforded by digital rectoscopy facilitated a satisfactory clinical diagnosis in 96% of uses. The device was successfully deployed in the operating room and outpatients irrespective of bowel preparation method, where it has the potential to replace flexible sigmoidoscopy for specific use cases. The technology provides a high-quality image and video that can be securely recorded for documentation and medicolegal purposes with agreement between blinded users despite a lack of standardized training and heterogenous pathology. We perceive significant impact of this technology for the assessment of colorectal anastomoses, the office management of colitis, "watch and wait," and for diagnostic support in rectal cancer diagnosis. The technology has significant potential to facilitate proctoring and training, and it now requires prospective trials to validate its diagnostic accuracy against more costly flexible sigmoidoscopy systems.

Timing of recurrences of TEM resected rectal neoplasms is variable as per the surveillance practices of one tertiary care institution.

Transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) is widely used for the excision of rectal adenomas and early rectal adenocarcinoma. Few recommendations currently exist for surveillance of lesions excised by TEM. The purpose of this study was to review the surveillance practices and the patterns of recurrence among TEM resected lesions at a tertiary care hospital. A retrospective chart review was performed on all patients who underwent TEM for rectal adenoma or adenocarcinoma before June 2017. In our study population of 114 patients, the final pathology included 78 (68%) adenomas and 36 (32%) adenocarcinomas. Of the adenocarcinomas 23, 9, and 4 were T1, T2, T3 lesions, respectively. Of those, 25 patients opted for surveillance instead of further treatment. The most commonly recommended endoscopic surveillance strategy by our group for both adenomas and adenocarcinomas excised by TEM was flexible sigmoidoscopy every 6 months for 2 years. Recurrences occurred in 4/78 (5.1%) adenoma patients, all found within 16.9 months of surgery, and in 4/25 (16%) adenocarcinoma patients, found between 7.4 and 38.5 months post-surgery. Our data highlights the fact that the timing of recurrences post TEM surgery is variable. Further studies looking at recurrence patterns are needed in order to create comprehensive guidelines for surveillance of these patients.

Diagnosis and Management of Colonic Volvulus.

CASE SUMMARY: An 88-year-old man with no significant medical history, and in a good state of health, presented to the emergency department with 4 days of obstipation, progressive abdominal pain, and bloating. Examination revealed abdominal distension and generalized tenderness without signs of peritonitis. Laboratory values, including lactate and complete blood count, were within normal limits. Computed tomography imaging of the abdomen and pelvis revealed radiological signs of sigmoid volvulus and no evidence of bowel perforation (Fig. 1). Flexible sigmoidoscopic examination revealed no evidence of mucosal ischemia and enabled detorsion of the colon. The patient's symptoms resolved after the detorsion. He was seen in consultation by a surgeon who advised surgical treatment only if the volvulus recurred. After hospital discharge, the patient self-educated about sigmoid volvulus and sought a second surgical opinion. Five weeks after his initial presentation and 1 week after complete colonoscopy, he underwent laparoscopic sigmoidectomy with colorectal anastomosis. His postoperative course was uneventful. At 6-month follow-up, he remained well with no bowel-related concerns.

General populations' preferences for colorectal cancer screening: rationale and protocol for the discrete choice experiment in the SIGMO study.

INTRODUCTION: In Germany, the organised colorectal cancer (CRC) screening programme includes the immunologic faecal occult blood test and colonoscopy. The sigmoidoscopy is recommended for individuals rejecting colonoscopy but is not included into the screening programme. To examine whether the evidence based sigmoidoscopy should be additionally offered, the first objective of this study is to evaluate the demand for sigmoidoscopy by analysing the German general populations' preferences for CRC screening. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Preference data will be collected using a discrete choice experiment (DCE). Identification and selection of the attributes and their levels will be supported by evidence resulting from a systematic literature search and focus groups. An efficient, fractional factorial choice design will be generated. In a cross-sectional study, the DCE will be administered as a written questionnaire to a random sample of 4000 members of the statutory health insurance company in Lower Saxony (AOK Lower Saxony). Insured persons 50-60 years of age without CRC or a chronic inflammatory bowel disease will be eligible. The collected choice data will be analysed by conducting a conditional logit regression model and latent class models. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval for this study was obtained from the Ethics Committee of Hannover Medical School (reference number 8671_BO_K_2019). The study results will be disseminated via conference presentations, publications in peer-reviewed journals and, to participants, the membership magazine of the AOK Lower Saxony. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: DRKS00019010.

WASh multicentre randomised controlled trial: water-assisted sigmoidoscopy in English NHS bowel scope screening.

OBJECTIVES: The English Bowel Cancer Screening Programme invites 55 year olds for a sigmoidoscopy (Bowel Scope Screening (BSS)), aiming to resect premalignant polyps, thus reducing cancer incidence. A national patient survey indicated higher procedural pain than anticipated, potentially impacting on screening compliance and effectiveness. We aimed to assess whether water-assisted sigmoidoscopy (WAS), as opposed to standard CO2 technique, improved procedural pain and detection of adenomatous polyps. DESIGN: The WASh (Water-Assisted Sigmoidoscopy) trial was a multicentre, single-blind, randomised control trial for people undergoing BSS. Participants were randomised to either receive WAS or CO2 from five sites across England. The primary outcome measure was patient-reported moderate/severe pain, as assessed by patients on a standard Likert scale post procedure prior to discharge. The key secondary outcome was adenoma detection rate (ADR). The costs of each technique were also measured. RESULTS: 1123 participants (50% women, mean age 55) were randomised (561 WAS, 562 CO2). We found no difference in patient-reported moderate/severe pain between WAS and CO2 (14% in WAS, 15% in CO2; p=0.47). ADR was 15% in the CO2 arm and 11% in the WAS arm (p=0.03); however, it remained above the minimum national performance standard in both arms. There was no statistical difference in mean number of adenomas nor overall polyp detection rate. There was negligible cost difference between the two techniques. CONCLUSION: In the context of enema-prepared unsedated screening sigmoidoscopies performed by screening-accredited endoscopists, no difference in patient-reported pain was seen when using either a CO2 or WAS intubation technique. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN81466870.

Adaptations to the current ECCO/ESPGHAN guidelines on the management of paediatric acute severe colitis in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic: a RAND appropriateness panel.

OBJECTIVE: Paediatric acute severe colitis (ASC) management during the novel SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 pandemic is challenging due to reliance on immunosuppression and the potential for surgery. We aimed to provide COVID-19-specific guidance using the European Crohn's and Colitis Organisation/European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition guidelines for comparison. DESIGN: We convened a RAND appropriateness panel comprising 14 paediatric gastroenterologists and paediatric experts in surgery, rheumatology, respiratory and infectious diseases. Panellists rated the appropriateness of interventions for ASC in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results were discussed at a moderated meeting prior to a second survey. RESULTS: Panellists recommended patients with ASC have a SARS-CoV-2 swab and expedited biological screening on admission and should be isolated. A positive swab should trigger discussion with a COVID-19 specialist. Sigmoidoscopy was recommended prior to escalation to second-line therapy or colectomy. Methylprednisolone was considered appropriate first-line management in all, including those with symptomatic COVID-19. Thromboprophylaxis was also recommended in all. In patients requiring second-line therapy, infliximab was considered appropriate irrespective of SARS-CoV-2 status. Delaying colectomy due to SARS-CoV-2 infection was considered inappropriate. Corticosteroid tapering over 8-10 weeks was deemed appropriate for all. After successful corticosteroid rescue, thiopurine maintenance was rated appropriate in patients with negative SARS-CoV-2 swab and asymptomatic patients with positive swab but uncertain in symptomatic COVID-19. CONCLUSION: Our COVID-19-specific adaptations to paediatric ASC guidelines using a RAND panel generally support existing recommendations, particularly the use of corticosteroids and escalation to infliximab, irrespective of SARS-CoV-2 status. Consideration of routine prophylactic anticoagulation was recommended.

Management of Malignant Colon Polyps.

CASE SUMMARY: A 54-year-old otherwise healthy woman presented for screening colonoscopy, during which 4 pedunculated 5- to 12-mm polyps distributed throughout the colon were found (Fig. 1). The 12-mm sigmoid polyp was removed with hot snare polypectomy in a nonpiecemeal fashion. Pathology demonstrated 3 tubular adenomas and a poorly differentiated invasive carcinoma in a sigmoid polyp without tumor budding, invading 0.8 mm into the submucosa, with lymphovascular invasion and with a deep margin of 0.6 mm. The next week, she underwent repeat flexible sigmoidoscopy with tattooing of the polypectomy site. She had a normal staging CT chest/abdomen/pelvis as well as CEA level and later underwent uneventful laparoscopic sigmoid resection, which included the area of endoscopic tattoo. Final pathology confirmed the presence of the tattooed area and polypectomy scar and showed no residual primary tumor and 2/18 positive lymph nodes (Fig, 2). She was referred to medical oncology for adjuvant chemotherapy.

Effects of screening for colorectal cancer: Development, documentation and validation of a multistate Markov model.

Simulation models are a powerful tool to overcome gaps of evidence needed to inform medical decision-making. Here, we present development and application of COSIMO, a Markov-based Colorectal Cancer (CRC) Multi-state Simulation Model to simulate effects of CRC screening, along with a thorough assessment of the model's ability to reproduce real-life outcomes. Firstly, we provide a comprehensive documentation of COSIMO's development, structure and assumptions. Secondly, to assess the model's external validity, we compared model-derived cumulative incidence and prevalences of colorectal neoplasms to (a) results from KolosSal, a study in German screening colonoscopy participants, (b) registry-based estimates of CRC incidence in Germany, and (c) outcome patterns of randomized sigmoidoscopy screening studies. We found that (a) more than 90% of observed prevalences in the KolosSal study were within the 95% confidence intervals of the model-predicted neoplasm prevalences; (b) the 15-year cumulative CRC incidences estimated by simulations for the German population deviated by 0.0% to 0.2% units in men and 0.0% to 0.3% units in women when compared to corresponding registry-derived estimates; and (c) the time course of cumulative CRC incidence and mortality in the modeled intervention group and control group closely resembles the time course reported from sigmoidoscopy screening trials. Overall, COSIMO adequately predicted colorectal neoplasm prevalences and incidences in a German population for up to 25 years, with estimated patterns of the effect of screening colonoscopy resembling those seen in registry data and real-world studies. This suggests that the model may represent a valid tool to assess the comparative effectiveness of CRC screening strategies.

Rectal cancer mimic: a rare case of syphilitic proctitis.

Syphilitic proctitis is a rare presentation of sexually transmitted infection that poses a diagnostic challenge as it mimics rectal cancer clinically, radiologically and endoscopically. We report a case of a 66-year-old male patient with a background of HIV infection presenting with obstructive bowel symptoms and initial diagnosis of rectal cancer on CT. Sigmoidoscopy and histopathology were non-diagnostic. A diagnosis of secondary syphilis was suspected after obtaining sexual history and diagnostic serology, avoiding planned surgical intervention.

Validation of Microsimulation Models against Alternative Model Predictions and Long-Term Colorectal Cancer Incidence and Mortality Outcomes of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Background. This study aimed to assess the validity of 2 microsimulation models of colorectal cancer (CRC), Policy1-Bowel and ASCCA.Methods. The model-estimated CRC risk in population subgroups with different health statuses, "dwell time" (time from incident precancerous polyp to symptomatically detected CRC), and reduction in symptomatically detected CRC incidence after a one-time complete removal of polyps and/or undetected CRC were compared with published findings from 3 well-established models (MISCAN, CRC-SPIN, and SimCRC). Furthermore, 6 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that provided screening using a guaiac fecal occult blood test (Funen trial, Burgundy trial, and Minnesota Colon Cancer Control Study [MCCCS]) or flexible sigmoidoscopy (NORCCAP, SCORE, and UKFSST) with long-term follow-up were simulated. Model-estimated long-term relative reductions of CRC incidence (RRinc) and mortality (RRmort) were compared with the RCTs' findings. Results. The Policy1-Bowel and ASCCA estimates showed more similarities to CRC-SPIN and SimCRC. For example, overall dwell times estimated by Policy1-Bowel (24.0 years) and ASCCA (25.3) were comparable to CRC-SPIN (25.8) and SimCRC (25.2) but higher than MISCAN (10.6). In addition, ∼86% of Policy1-Bowel's and ∼74% of ASCCA's estimated RRinc and RRmort were consistent with the RCTs' long-term follow-up findings. For example, at 17 to 18 years of follow-up, the MCCCS reported RRmort of 0.67 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.51-0.83) and 0.79 (95% CI, 0.62-0.97) for the annual and biennial screening arm, respectively, and the UKFSST reported RRmort of 0.70 (95% CI, 0.62-0.79) for CRC at all sites and 0.54 (95% CI, 0.46-0.65) for distal CRC. The corresponding model estimates were 0.65, 0.74, 0.81, and 0.61, respectively, for Policy1-Bowel and 0.65, 0.70, 0.75, and 0.58, respectively, for ASCCA. Conclusion. Policy1-Bowel and ASCCA's estimates are largely consistent with the data included for comparisons, which indicates good model validity.

Colonoscopy and flexible sigmoidoscopy for follow-up of patients with left-sided diverticulitis.

INTRODUCTION: The prevalence of diverticular disease has been increasing in the western world over the last few decades, causing a growing burden on health care systems. This study compared the uses of flexible sigmoidoscopy with colonoscopy as a follow-up investigation for patients diagnosed with acute left-sided diverticulitis and to evaluate the need for using either procedure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study of 327 patients diagnosed with acute diverticulitis was carried out. Of this total, 240 patients with left-sided diverticulitis diagnosed via computed tomography were included. These patients were categorised into two equal groups: the first 120 patients underwent colonoscopy and the second 120 patients underwent flexible sigmoidoscopy. RESULTS: All colonoscopes and flexible sigmoidoscopes confirmed the computed tomography diagnosis of sigmoid diverticular disease with no major new findings. All colonoscopes and flexible sigmoidoscopes were reported as having no complications, with nine colonoscopes reported as being difficult compared with only three flexible sigmoidoscopes. All biopsies were reported as no malignancy. Full bowel preparation was required in all colonoscopes, compared with no preparation required for flexible sigmoidoscopes. CONCLUSIONS: There is no evidence to support the routine use of endoscopic evaluation after an episode of left-sided diverticulitis diagnosed on computed tomography if no worrying radiological findings have been reported. This study supports similar findings from other studies and therefore we disagree with The Royal College of Surgeons of England (Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland recommendations) commissioning guide, which advocates routine surveillance of the colon.

Management of sigmoid volvulus using percutaneous endoscopic colostomy.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this systematic review was to appraise the current literature on the use of percutaneous endoscopic colostomy (PEC) as an alternative to major surgery and endoscopic decompression alone for treating sigmoid volvulus in frail, comorbid patients. METHODS: A systematic literature search of literature published between April 2000 and January 2017 was carried out using the MEDLINE®, Embase™ and CINAHL® (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature) databases. The search terms were "percutaneous endoscopic colostomy", "PEC", "sigmoidopexy", "sigmoidostomy" and "sigmoid volvulus". The studies identified were screened and those that did not fulfil the inclusion criteria were excluded. FINDINGS: Seven observational studies and seven case reports (comprising eighty-one patients) were found to match our inclusion criteria. All patients had recurrent sigmoid volvulus and were treated with PEC either with a single PEC tube or with two PEC tubes inserted. Sigmoid volvulus recurred in 10 of the 81 patients; 3 of these individuals developed recurrence with PEC tubes in situ and 7 following tube removal. There were seven deaths after the procedure. The most frequent morbidity associated with PEC tube insertion was site infection (n=6). CONCLUSIONS: Our systematic review highlights the use of PEC as an alternative in managing recurrent sigmoid volvulus in frail, comorbid patients unfit for or refusing surgery, with the best outcomes seen in those patients where two PEC tubes were inserted and remained in situ indefinitely. Further studies are needed to improve the safety and efficacy of the procedure as well as post-procedure care.