Screening for colorectal neoplasia in asymptomatic patients using flexible fiberoptic sigmoidoscopy

Four hundred seventeen asymptomatic patients with an average age of 52 years underwent screening flexible fiberoptic sigmoidoscopy. Seventy-three polyps were detected in 52 patients with a 17.5 per cent detection rate. Half were above 25 cm and one-third were greater than 1.0 cm in size. Biannual follow-up of these patients is planned to determine the efficacy of this screening procedure combined with removal of all polyps in preventing the development of colorectal cancer.