Patients with high-risk bowel polyps can wait five years for follow-up, studies find

Patients who have had high-risk bowel polyps removed can safely wait five years for their first follow-up examination instead of returning after three years, according to two European studies involving Amsterdam UMC. The studies found that the risk of developing colorectal cancer after the removal of high-risk polyps is low. Waiting five years for the first check-up was also found to be just as safe as having one after three years, Amsterdam UMC said.

The research revealed that over 99% of patients who had high-risk polyps removed did not develop colorectal cancer within the five-year window. The study specifically tracked 1,861 patients with serrated polyps, a specific, fast-evolving precursor to cancer. Among this group, only about 1% developed colorectal cancer, and zero deaths were recorded from the disease within five years, the Karolinksa Institutet said.

In the Netherlands alone, this will save tens of thousands of bowel examinations each year, according to the hospital, which is considered an invasive procedure for many patients.

The number of people undergoing bowel examinations has increased since the national bowel cancer screening program was introduced in 2014. Patients who have had polyps removed are often monitored through regular follow-up examinations. About 55,000 such checks are performed in the Netherlands each year, creating a growing burden for both patients and the healthcare system.

Amsterdam UMC says the findings could greatly reduce the number of follow-up bowel examinations for patients who have had polyps removed. This would allow healthcare resources to be focused on patients who actually need them.