Screening for colorectal cancer with flexible sigmoidoscopy: is a 5-yr interval appropriate?
Few individuals will develop rectosigmoid neoplasms 3 or 5 yr after a normal FS. The majority of neoplasms detected are low-risk lesions. A screening interval of 5 yr after a normal FS does not portend an increased risk of advanced neoplasms including cancer. This direct evidence supports the current recommendations of a 5-yr interval for colorectal cancer screening with FS.
The high prevalence of TAs and their impact on QOL in CT patients underscore the urgent need for increased attention to this side effect, both in research and in clinical practice.