[Screening for colorectal cancer based on our experience with early colorectal cancer and adenoma]

In order to establish method of screening for colorectal cancer, we studied clinicopathological features in 116 cases of adenoma, precancerous lesion, and in 80 cases of early colorectal cancer. The incidence of early cancer began to rise at the age of more than 40, reaching a peak in the sixth decade. The risk for men was higher than for women. In relation to the location of these lesions, 71% of the adenoma and 91% of the early cancer were in the left colon and rectum. As symptoms on admission, overt bleeding from the rectum appeared in 35% of the adenoma and in 56% of the early cancer patients, respectively. Therefore, we emphasize that it is extremely important to examine overt and occult bleeding as the first screening for colorectal cancer.