Clinicopathological characterization of colonic polyps

To describe the clinical characteristics, colonoscopic features, histological findings, dysplasia patterns, and clinical outcome of endoscopically detected colonic polyps in the Saudi population.

This retrospective record review was conducted at King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on patients who underwent colonoscopy between 2005 and 2015. Patients with colorectal cancer were excluded. Data were analyzed using SPSS software.

Among 211 patients recruited, 66.8% were males and 66.2% were Saudi. Single polyps were detected in 45.5% of cases, while 29.9%, 18%, and 6.6% had 2, 3, and 4 polyps, respectively. Regarding the size, 81%, 17%, and 2% of the polyps were <1 cm, 1-2 cm, and >2 cm, respectively. The endoscopic examination revealed that 16.4% of the polyps were pedunculated, 82.6% were sessile, and 1% were sessile and pedunculated. About 45%, 30%, 21%, and 6.6% of the polyps were located at the rectum/sigmoid, left colon, right colon, and transverse/ascending colon, respectively. Histologically, 68.6% of polyps were adenomatous and 21.3% were non-adenomatous. Mild dysplasia was detected in almost half of the studied sample (42.3%) while moderate and severe grades of dysplasia were demonstrated in 19.2% and 38.5% of the examined polyps. Surgical intervention was required in 8.1% of cases.

Single small-sized sessile polyps of adenomatous type and mild dysplasia are the most common polyps in the Saudi population. Sigmoid/rectum is the most common site affected, and the outcome of polyps is generally favorable.