Summary
The incidence of adenoma of the rectum and the sigmoid is much greater in alcoholics than in non-alcoholics. In a series of 5,980 patients sigmoidoscopy disclosed these tumors in 3.37 per cent of the non-alcoholic females and 5.46 per cent of the non-alcoholic males in contrast to 11.56 per cent of the alcoholic females and 18.23 per cent of the alcoholic males.
In view of the great malignant potential of this tumor these findings become significant. Alcoholism, therefore, identifies a group of 3,000,000 individuals for whom routine sigmoidoscopy is of great value for the prevention and possible cure of cancer.
A plea is made for routine sigmoidoscopy and X-Ray examination of the colon of all patients suffering from chronic alcoholism.
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Diamond, M. Adenomas of the rectum and the sigmoid in alcoholics: A sigmoidoscopic study. Amer. Jour. Dig. Dis. 19, 47–50 (1952). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02876295
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02876295