The U.S. Multisociety Task Force on Colorectal Cancer released guidance for endoscopists on assessing colorectal lesions for features associated with cancer.
The taskforce is made up of experts from the American College of Gastroenterology, American Gastroenterological Association and American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.
The task force made the following four guideline recommendations around the management of malignant tumors:
1. Management of malignant polyps must begin with a thorough and knowledgeable endoscopic assessment designed to identify features of deep submucosal invasion.
2. In nonpedunculated lesions with features of deep submucosal invasion, endoscopic biopsy and tattooing should be followed by surgical resection.
3. Nonpedunculated lesions with high risk of superficial submucosal invasion should be considered for en bloc resection and proper specimen handling.
4. When pathology reports cancer in a lesion that was completely resected endoscopically, the decision to recommend surgery is based on polyp shape, whether there was en bloc resection and adequate histologic assessment, the presence or absence of unfavorable histologic features, the patient's risk for surgical mortality and morbidity, and patient preferences.
Note: The above guidelines are presented in whole.
Read the entire release here.