A study of 41,606 patients at Kaiser Permanente Northern California found that nearly one-third of patients with one or two nonadvanced adenomas continued to receive surveillance colonoscopy recommendations earlier than guidelines advise. The findings, published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, highlight persistent gaps in implementing updated colorectal cancer (CRC) surveillance guidance.
In 2020, the U.S. Multi-Society Task Force extended the recommended surveillance interval for patients with one or two nonadvanced adenomas from five to 10 years to seven to 10 years. Adherence improved from 68% in 2021 to 72% in 2024, but 28%–32% of patients were still advised to return in less than seven years. By comparison, more than 90% of patients with three or four nonadvanced adenomas received recommendations consistent with the recommended three- to five-year interval.