Introduction
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer in the world, accounting for approximately 9% of new invasive cancer diagnosed worldwide.[1] In British Columbia, incidence rates for CRC are among the highest in the world,[2] being surpassed only by lung, female breast, and prostate cancers. In 1998, 2060 new cases (12.6% of all new cases) and 660 deaths (8.5% of all cancer-related deaths) were estimated for CRC in BC.[3]
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is unique among the gastrointestinal cancers in that it is known that most arise from adenomatous/ villous polyps. All polyps do not necessarily progress to malignant transformation, and it is believed that it takes at least 6 years for this transformation to occur.[1,2] Under current accepted standards of screening and diagnosis, the earliest detectable sign of a cancer or a large polyp is occult bleeding. The blood loss tends to be intermittent and depends to some extent on the size and site of the neoplasm.
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