Published online Dec 21, 2021. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v27.i47.8182
Peer-review started: June 17, 2021
First decision: July 2, 2021
Revised: July 15, 2021
Accepted: December 7, 2021
Article in press: December 7, 2021
Published online: December 21, 2021
Processing time: 182 Days and 18 Hours
Cold polypectomy (CP) is a simple and safe procedure for polyps less than 10 mm in size; however, there is concern about local recurrence following CP because of unidentified margins of excised specimens and the lack of tumor suppression effect by coagulation. Some clinical trials have evaluated local persistent recurrence; their results suggest that a higher rate of local recurrence has not been documented so far. There were few reports that observed the course over long periods of time after CP in clinical practice.
To evaluate the presence of local recurrence following CP and hot polypectomy (HP) using propensity score matching.
We analyzed 275 patients who underwent polypectomy for non-pedunculated colorectal polyps less than 10 mm (959 Lesions) between October 2016 and 2017 and underwent follow-up endoscopy subsequently. We divided them into the CP group (706 Lesions), wherein CP was performed, and the HP group (253 Lesions), wherein HP was performed. Using propensity score matching, we extracted 215 Lesions in each group and evaluated the local recurrence and content of CP in the real clinic and adverse events using medical records.
After propensity score matching, there were no significant differences in the patients’ and their endoscopic background (age, use of antithrombotics, indications, size, morphology, location of polyps, and polypectomy device) between the groups. The mean duration between colorectal polypectomy and the next follow-up colonoscopy was 17.5 ± 7.1 (range, 6-39) mo in the CP group and 15.7 ± 6.0 (range, 6-35) mo in the HP group, which was significantly longer in the CP group (P = 0.005). The local recurrence rate was 0.93% in the CP group and 0.93% in the HP group, without a significant difference (P = 0.688). Additionally, no differences were observed in the macroscopic en bloc resection rate, histopathological complete resection rate, and pathological results between the groups. Adverse events did not occur in either group.
Local recurrence after CP was equivalent to that following HP in clinical practice. CP is useful and safe in the treatment of non-pedunculated polyps of less than 10 mm.
Core Tip: In this study, the recurrence rate after cold polypectomy (CP) was evaluated with colonoscopy at long intervals in real clinical practice for non-pedunculated colorectal polyps smaller than 10 mm, and compared with hot polypectomy (HP). Although it is a retrospective study, we used propensity score matching to correct the bias of both groups and compared them. The recurrence rates of both procedures were similar, and it was considered that CP, which is easier in clinical practice, is more useful for small polyps than HP.