Published online Mar 15, 2024. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.v16.i3.750
Peer-review started: October 26, 2023
First decision: December 5, 2023
Revised: January 2, 2024
Accepted: February 6, 2024
Article in press: February 6, 2024
Published online: March 15, 2024
Processing time: 137 Days and 21.3 Hours
Lipid metabolism reprogramming is suspected to exist in pre-cancerous lesions, including colorectal adenoma. Chicken skin mucosa (CSM) surrounding colorectal polyps is frequently detected during screening colonoscopy. CSM is the pathological accumulation of fat in the macrophages of the lamina propria.
CSM-positive colorectal polyps are associated with various diseases; however, their clinical significance is not yet clear, and they are often not properly treated. We conducted this study to highlight the clinical significance of CSM surrounding colorectal polyps and to clarify the associated treatment for endoscopists.
We performed risk stratification analysis of CSM-positive colorectal polyps under white light endoscopy to identify possible risk factors for malignant transformation and submucosal infiltration of CSM-positive colorectal polyps.
This study retrospectively recorded the endoscopic appearance, clinical features, and pathological findings of patients with CSM-positive colorectal polyps. The Student’s t-test, χ2 test, and logistic regression were used to analyze and compare the clinical features, suspected risk factors for malignant transformation of neoplastic polyps, and early infiltration of submucosal carcinoma.
We found that a diameter of > 1 cm or a deeper red mucosa may be independent risk factors for the malignant transformation of CSM-positive colorectal neoplastic polyps. Partial or complete resection of the CSM around colorectal adenomas did not affect tumor recurrence, and the CSM disappeared within 12 months after polypectomy.
CSM has emerged as a critical feature of early colorectal cancer or pre-cancerous lesions. We found that a diameter of > 1 cm or a deeper red mucosa may be independent risk factors for the malignant transformation of CSM-positive colorectal neoplastic polyps. Endoscopic mucosal resection may be the best treatment option for these lesions. Partial or complete resection of the CSM around colorectal adenomas did not affect tumor recurrence. Abnormal CSM should not be considered when resecting CSM-positive colorectal adenomas endoscopically.
We should pay more attention to the endoscopic features of different types of lipid metabolic abnormalities and attempt to discover the relationship between these characteristics and pathological changes.