Is it safe to wait 10 years after a negative baseline screening colonoscopy result?

Despite guidelines1 that recommend a 10-year interval after a negative screening colonoscopy result in average-risk individuals, many patients receive early examinations.2,3 This could be due to concerns about the adequacy of the baseline examination or to a fear of postcolonoscopy interval colorectal cancer (CRC). Prior studies suggest that if the baseline examination was less than adequate (poor preparation or uncertain cecal intubation), the yield of repeating the examination is high.4 However, in most cases, the baseline examination is adequate, and previous work has suggested that the risk of serious pathologic changes within 10 years is low.
Source: Gastrointestinal Endoscopy - Category: Gastroenterology Authors: Tags: Original article Source Type: research