JUVENILE POLYPOSIS (COLI) - HIGH-INCIDENCE OF DYSPLASTIC EPITHELIUM

Background: A juvenile polyp is a commonly seen condition in the pedia tric age group as an etiological factor for rectal bleeding, The histo logical appearance was considered to be nonneoplastic and was distingu ished from other neoplastic polyps. But this concept has been changing over the years as higher incidence of colonic and rectal adenocarcino mas are seen in patients with both familiar and nonfamilial polyposis. The malignant potential was first recognized in 1980. Methods: With t his background knowledge, the authors carried out a retrospective stud y of juvenile polyposis patients, who underwent full-length colonoscop y and upper gastrointestinal endoscopy to assess the presence of dyspl astic epithelium. There were eleven cases of nonfamilial juvenile poly posis (one case with foregut polyps). Results: Ten cases showed presen ce of dysplastic epithelium in focal areas in the juvenile polyps, mil d in degree in three cases and moderate in degree in 10 cases, with fo cal severe degree in two. Conclusion: All polyps of juvenile polyposis after polypectomy must be subjected to histopathologic examination to determine the presence of dysplastic/adenomatous epithelium. Copyrigh t (C) 1997 by W.B. Saunders Company.