[Familial adenomatosis coli--a precancerous condition]

The presented paper includes the medical records of five children with familial adenomatous polyposis coli on the one hand and the detailed description of the pathologic findings of the disease on the other hand. Particular emphasis is given to the morphologic criteria of the disorder predisposing the affected individuals to development of colorectal cancer at unusually early ages. In the current cases there was a so-called classical presentation of diffuse polyposis in the early and late childhood respectively. The diagnosis was established in supposedly unaffected siblings due to colonoscopy and radiologic procedures. Prophylactic total colectomy was performed in all proven cases. The association with extracolonic tumours has proved to be a remarkable feature of the disease. This fact is especially stressed.