PMID: 9188145May 1, 1997Paper

Melanosis coli--a harmless pigmentation or a precancerous condition?

Zeitschrift für Gastroenterologie
G NuskoE G Hahn

Abstract

Melanosis coli has long been considered as a harmless pigmentation of the colorectum associated with the use of laxatives containing anthraquinone. Recent experimental and clinical studies, however, have provided some evidence of a possible association between melanosis coli/laxative use and colorectal cancer. In 2.229 consecutive patients we retrospectively analyzed the association of melanosis coli and laxative use with colorectal neoplasia. All the patients had undergone total colonoscopy, and the colorectal neoplasias had been examined histopathologically in accordance with the WHO classification. Information concerning laxative use, bowel habits and family history of colorectal cancer was obtained from the medical records. The statistical analysis was done using the Mantel-Haenszel-test for linear association. The presence of colorectal cancer was not associated with melanosis coli or laxative use. However, colorectal adenomas were found significantly more frequently in patients with melanosis coli than in those without melanosis (p = 0.0002). But adenomas associated with melanosis coli were significantly smaller than those not associated with melanosis (p < 0.0001), and were located predominantly in the proximal colon (p ...Continue Reading

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