PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Varma, Jaydev R.
TI  - Skin Tags — A Marker For Colon Polyps?
AID  - 10.3122/jabfm.3.3.175
DP  - 1990 Jul 01
TA  - The Journal of the American Board of Family
                Practice
PG  - 175--180
VI  - 3
IP  - 3
4099  - http://www.jabfm.org/content/3/3/175.short
4100  - http://www.jabfm.org/content/3/3/175.full
SO  - J Am Board Fam Med1990 Jul 01; 3
AB  - The frequency of colorectal cancer increased during the first half of the twentieth century, but for the last four decades, it appears to have stabilized. Today, the average American has a 5 percent probability of developing colorectal cancer during a 70-year life span. The majority of cases occur in persons aged > 50 years; the incidence increases up to age 75 years, after which there is a decline. Etiology is unknown; however, environment, genetics, and carcinogens have been implicated. Genetic relations of skin tags, colon polyps, and colon cancer are a matter of ongoing research. If such relations could be established, it could provide clinicians with a possible additional marker for persons at increased risk of colorectal adenoma and adenocarcinoma. Two cases are presented with a brief review of the literature.