Increased risk of colorectal neoplasia in asymptomatic liver transplant recipients

Liver-transplant recipients (LTRs) are known to carry an increased risk of cancer, including tumours of the skin and lymphoproliferative disorders.1 Whether the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) is increased after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) is controversial.2 There is also no consensus whether screening for colorectal neoplasia in asymptomatic LTRs is warranted, except for those with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) with associated ulcerative colitis (UC).2 In a previous study, we found an increased risk of CRC in patients after OLT compared with the general population.3 In this report, we examined the prevalence of colorectal adenomas and carcinomas in asymptomatic LTRs. Between 1979 and 2001, 381 adult patients underwent OLT at the University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands. For this retrospective study, all patients were included …