Colonoscopic polypectomy in diagnosis and treatment of early carcinoma of the large intestine.

Histologic investigation and analysis of 370 polyps, removed via colonoscope, demonstrated a malignancy rate of adenomas of about 20 per cent. Even small adenomas under 1 cm in diameter were found to have a higher malignant potential than previously appreciated. The malignancy rate was higher with increasing size, and adenomas in females had a much higher malignant potential than in males. It is obvious that colonoscopic polypectomy is valuable in detecting and treating early carcinomas of the colon.