There is a lack of a national organized screening program for colorectal cancer in Greece, and asymptomatic detection is usually the result of individual decisions. The collection of epidemiologic endoscopic data from a population of interest would therefore provide valuable information for future treatment guidance, especially during periods of economic austerity. The current cross-sectional study included 380 asymptomatic, average risk individuals undergoing screening colonoscopy for the first time, during the period of one year in a tertiary public hospital in Athens. Descriptive and analytic epidemiologic data were analyzed. The prevalence of adenomas and advanced lesions were compared between the younger and older cohort, and a regression model was applied for risk evaluation. The mean age of participants was 63 years, and 53% were male. A significant proportion of patients presented with polyps (51.5%) and 25% of them had lesions in the proximal colon. The prevalence of adenomas and advanced adenomas was 29.5 and 11.8%, respectively. Similar high prevalence rates of lesions were identified in the cohort of individuals <50 years of age and the older cohort (>50 years of age). Regression models identified age, number and size of polyps as the major risk factors for the detection of adenomas. The increase of advanced lesions in the older and younger cohort requires confirmation by larger studies. Overall, the results of the present study indicate the requirement for a well-organized screening colonoscopy program starting from as early as 40 years of age. This program may confer an additional endoscopic burden with socioeconomic consequences in a country with limited health resources.

Background: Serrated polyposis syndrome (SPS) is a rare entity mainly concerning the 6th decade of life and which is characterized by the presence of multiple large hyperplastic polyps, sessile serrated adenomas, and adenomas within the colon. Case Report: We describe the case of a SPS patient with 3 synchronous adenocarcinomas. The morphologic features of serrated colorectal lesions, their characteristic molecular alterations, and their role in colorectal cancer development are discussed herein. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that SPS is a rare condition with an increased risk for colon cancer. Patients suffering from SPS should have regular colonoscopic surveillance, and perhaps those with numerous dysplastic hyperplastic polyps should be treated with colectomy.

Post-polypectomy syndrome or post-polypectomy coagulation syndrome (PPCS) is a rare adverse event of thermal injury caused during hot snare aided, endoscopic mucosal resection of colon polyps. Its diagnosis is tricky as it is commonly misdiagnosed as perforation leading to unnecessary exploratory abdominal surgeries. The authors aim to present an early diagnosed and successfully treated, case of PPCS, and to highlight the difference in the safety profile of two techniques; hot snare versus cold snare polypectomy.

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Background Patients’ concerns were negatively associated with adaptation and outcomes in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), even when the disease is in remission. Concurrently, relatives overestimate patients’ worries with unknown implications on their quality of life (QoL).Our aim was to investigate the association among disease-related concerns, distress and QoL among family caregivers of adult IBD patients in remission. Methods One hundred and ninety-three consecutive IBD patient-caregiver dyads from the outpatient clinic of two referral centres were screened for eligibility. Dyads with psychiatric and other co morbidities were excluded. 66 patients were in remission and recruited. Patients’ concerns and caregivers’ distress were assessed by using the Rating Form of IBD patient Concerns (RFIPC) and the caregiver self-assessment questionnaire ‘How Are You?’ of the American Medical Association, respectively, whereas caregiver’s QoL was measured with the SF-36 questionnaire. Data are presented as median and range. The influence of population characteristics and patients’ concerns on caregivers’ distress and QoL were evaluated with linear regression. Results Sixty-six IBD patients (40[47] years, 51.5 % females, 37.9% full-time employment) and caregivers (47[33] years, 60% females, 60% 1st degree relative, 60% full-time employed) included in the analysis. Among patients, the median RFIPC score was 36.8 [43.52], whereas worries about the unknown nature of the disease, feeling out of control, having access to quality medical care, the fear of side effects and the energy level prevailed. Among caregivers, a median of 7 [14] hours were spent on care giving per week with 48.4 % of the caregivers developing distress and achieving low scores on sf-36. Among all examined variables, the increased level of concerns was the sole factor that was independently associated with increased distress (beta=0.947, p = 0.000) and low QoL (beta=–0.567–0.345, p = 0.000) in the caregivers’ population. Conclusion In remission, increased patients’ concerns was the only factor that was found to be strongly associated with increased level of distress and low QoL in family caregivers. Potential interventions might seek to provide support to those who care for IBD patients. References