Distribution of malignant polyps in the colon

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the distribution of malignant polyps of the colon is the same as the distribution of all polyps in general. A consecutive and unselected series of 1226 endoscopically removed polyps was analyzed; the analysis indicated a strong preponderance of malignant polyps to be located in the left side of the colon. Ninety-five per cent of the malignant polyps were taken distal to the splenic flexure, whereas that segment of the colon produced only 72 per cent of all of the polyps in general. It is not possible to determine the reason for this from the present study, but the importance of removing these polypoid lesions continues to be emphasized by these data.