The New England journal of medicine
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Blood transfusions and prognosis in colorectal cancer.
Blood transfusions may adversely affect the prognosis of patients treated surgically for cancer, although definite proof of this adverse effect has not been reported. ⋯ The use of autologous blood as compared with allogeneic blood for transfusion does not improve the prognosis in patients with colorectal cancer. Regardless of their type, transfusions are associated with poor prognosis, probably because of the circumstances that necessitate them.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Reducing mortality from colorectal cancer by screening for fecal occult blood. Minnesota Colon Cancer Control Study.
Although tests for occult blood in the feces are widely used to screen for colorectal cancers, there is no conclusive evidence that they reduce mortality from this cause. We evaluated a fecal occult-blood test in a randomized trial and documented its effectiveness. ⋯ Annual fecal occult-blood testing with rehydration of the samples decreased the 13-year cumulative mortality from colorectal cancer by 33 percent.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Treatment of colonic and rectal adenomas with sulindac in familial adenomatous polyposis.
Familial adenomatous polyposis is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by the formation of hundreds of colorectal adenomas and eventual colorectal cancer. Administration of the nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug sulindac has been followed by regression of polyps in patients with this disorder, but no controlled trial of this drug in patients who have not had surgery has been reported. ⋯ Sulindac reduces the number and size of colorectal adenomas in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis, but its effect is incomplete, and it is unlikely to replace colectomy as primary therapy.