[Familial gastro-intestinal adenomatosis]

Twenty-seven cases of familial gastro-intestinal adenomatosis are reported. There was no difference in pathology between 11 cases with familial involvement and 16 cases without. Juvenile, lymphoid as well as hyperplastic polyps coexisting with adenomas were found in a few cases. The risk of developing cancer in adenomas of 0.5 cm, 0.5-0.9 cm, 1.0-1.9 cm and 2.0 cm were 0%, 1.1%, 9% and 75%, respectively. Size seems to be the most critical and reliable indicator of malignant transformation. Proctectomy and colectomy of distal colon combined with removal of the adenomas equal to or larger than 1.0 cm through endoscope might be the better surgical intervention to avoid carcinomatous change. The term "familial polyposis coli" is suggested to be designated as "familial gastro-intestinal adenomatosis".