Pólipos colônicos e polipose gastrointestinal: estudo do perfil e da frequência em crianças e adolescentes submetidos a colonoscopia em dois centros de referência em Minas Gerais

Abstract

Colonic Polyps are frequent in pediatrics and most commonly present with painless rectal bleeding. The isolated polyp is the most frequent kind, localized predominantly at the retosigmoid, with little or no potential for malignant transformation. Polypectomy performed during diagnostic colonoscopy presents as the definitive therapeutics in the majority of the patients. However, the physician must be aware of the occasionally occurrence of these polyps in the context of hereditary polyposis diseases, characterized by a significant risk for colorectal cancer development, as well as the development of cancer in other organs, together with high morbidity of the patients at the pediatric age. Failure in the recognition of these hereditary syndromes leads to the inadequate treatment of the patients, as well as the inadequate screening and vigilance of individuals with high disease risk and consequently high morbidity and precocious death. This review gathers new data about colonic polyps in children and teenagers, discussing the clinical and genetic aspects, along with guidelines for affected patients and individuals with high risk of intestinal polyposis syndromes.