Table 2.
Findings from the ‘first-generation’ epidemiological studies of aberrant crypt foci. Either number entire colon in those studies using resected surgical tissue, or number in distal rectum in those studies using colonoscopy.
| Study | n | Older age | Famiily history | NSAID | Cancer vs. adenoma, vs. normal |
Distal vs. proximal |
Tobacco |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roncucci et al., (8) Toronto, Canada |
27 |
NR |
5 patients with FAP had highest ACF count |
NR |
Higher count in CRC patients than BD patients Much higher mean count in the 5 FAP patients ACF size smaller in FAP than CRC or BD |
NR |
NR |
| Roncucci et al., (48) Italy |
58 |
Higher count in older patients |
NR |
NR |
Only included CRC patients |
Higher number of ACF in distal than proximal colon |
NR |
| Takayama et al., (49) Japan |
350 |
increased |
NR |
lower |
ACF number associated with number of adenomas Substantially more in patients with CRC |
NR |
NR |
| Shpitz et al., (50) Tel Aviv, Israel |
93 |
increased |
NR |
NR |
Higher number in CRC patients than in BD patients |
Higher number of ACF in distal than proximal colon Stronger association of ACF number in distal than proximal colon |
NR |
| Bouzourene et al., (51) Switzerland |
37 |
NR |
NR |
NR |
Lower in CRC patients overall, but higher for dysplastic ACF |
NR |
NR |
| Nascimbeni et al., (52) Italy |
103 |
NR |
NR |
NR |
Higher in cancer than non- cancer |
Higher ACF count in distal colon than proximal |
NR |
| Nascimbeni et al. (53) Italy |
96 |
NR |
NR |
NR |
Higher in CRC than in DD |
NR |
NR |
| Adler et al., (54) Minnesota, USA |
90 |
NR |
NR |
NR |
Higher ACF count in patients with CRC than those with adenoma which is higher than the count in ‘normal’ patients |
NR |
NR |
| Hurlstone et al., (55) United Kingdom |
869 |
NR |
NR |
NR |
Mean in synchronous ‘normal’ = 1 adenoma = 9 cancer = 38 |
NR |
NR |
| Rudolph et al., (56) Seattle, USA |
32 |
increased |
NA Only 3 family history positive patients |
No association |
NR |
NR |
No association |
| Moxon et al., (57) Chicago, USA |
83 |
increased |
NA Only 4 with family history |
No association |
Higher in advanced neoplasia |
NR |
increased |
| Seike et al., (58) Chiba, Japan |
386 |
NR |
NR |
NR |
Increased for synchronous colon advanced neoplasia and for rectal cancer advanced neoplasia |
Stronger for distal advanced neoplasia |
NR |
| Stevens et al., (59) Connecticut, USA |
103 |
Increased among those with no family history of CRC |
Increased 43 with family history |
NR |
NR |
NR |
NR |
NR = not reported
NA = no association
BD = benign colonic disease