Identification of patients at increased risk for colorectal cancer in an open access endoscopy center

To determine whether patients referred for open access endoscopy (OAE) are being appropriately identified as "increased risk" or "average risk" for colorectal cancer (CRC) by referring physicians.

OAE allows nongastroenterologists to schedule elective endoscopies without prior consultation with a gastroenterologist. It is unknown how accurately referring physicians identify CRC risk of such patients.

We retrospectively reviewed the records of outpatients referred to a single OAE center for screening or surveillance colonoscopy from July 1, 2001 to November 8, 2002. Before colonoscopy, a 3-question tool was used to stratify each patient as average risk or increased risk for CRC. CRC risk assessment was compared with the referring physician's indication for colonoscopy. Chi-square testing was used to compare the incidence of neoplastic polyps between average risk and increased risk patients.

Two hundred eighty-eight patients met inclusion criteria. Referring physicians accurately identified 61% of 126 increased risk patients, including 13 of 19 patients (68%) with a personal history of CRC, 29 of 61 patients (48%) with a family history of CRC, 47 of 61 patients (77%) with a personal history of colonic polyps, and 0 of 8 patients (0%) who met clinical criteria for hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer. Adenomatous polyps were found in 24% of average risk patients compared with 41% of increased risk patients (P<0.01).

In an OAE system, referring physicians often fail to correctly identify patients at increased risk for CRC. Our 3-question tool for risk assessment helps to better identify patients at increased risk of CRC and can be used by gastroenterologists to stratify patients referred for OAE.