Serum lipids and colorectal adenoma among male self-defence officials in northern Kyushu, Japan.

Colorectal adenoma is regarded as a precursor lesion of adenocarcinoma. In view of the controversy on serum cholesterol and colorectal cancer, the risk of colorectal adenoma was examined in relation to serum total cholesterol, triglycerides and HDL-cholesterol. In the comparison of 88 men having adenoma and 1055 men with normal colonoscopy, there was no association between serum total cholesterol and colorectal adenoma. An increased risk of adenoma was observed at the highest quartile of triglycerides and at the lowest of HDL-cholesterol. When the three serum lipids were simultaneously examined, only the relation with HDL-cholesterol remained unchanged giving odds ratio of 1.7 at the lowest quartile compared with the upper three combined (p less than 0.05). The present study is consistent with the view that the inverse relation between serum total cholesterol and colorectal cancer is due to the effects of preclinical cancer. Further clarification is needed on low HDL-cholesterol and colorectal adenoma.