Endoscopy in asymptomatics previously submitted to anterior resection for colorectal cancer

Eighty-two colonoscopies were performed in 58 asymptomatic subjects previously submitted to anterior resection for colorectal cancer. In 6 patients endoscopy disclosed recurrent cancer at the anastomosis; in 1, a cancer synchronous to the primary neoplasia was detected 6 months from resection. Twenty-four polyps were detected in 19 patients. Severe epithelial dysplasia was present in two adenomatous polyps, and invasive cancer in another. From these findings, it appears that an endoscopic periodic surveillance of this high risk group is strongly advisable.