ROCHESTER, MINN. -- Mayo Clinic doctors are experimenting with a colonoscope with a magnifiying zoom lens to look for changes in the cellular pattern of the colon lining that may be the very earliest sign of colon polyps. The distinctive honeycombed or pit pattern of the colon lining can become distorted by the development of large cell clusters called aberrant crypt foci or ACF. Some research indicates that ACF are more numerous in animals and people with polyps.
Researchers led by gastroenterologist Christopher Gostout, M.D., are examining the lower colons of people with the special scope, which magnifies up to 100 times normal size. They are literally counting the number of ACF they find as well as taking samples to study more carefully. Their goal is to see if there is a relationship between the number of ACFs and the subsequent development of polyps and colon cancer.
"If ACFs are indeed early markers of colon cancer, a technique to identify and sample them would be an invaluable tool for assessing cancer risk and monitoring prevention treatments," says Dr. Gostout.