Superiority of the Flexible to the Rigid Sigmoidoscope in Routine Proctosigmoidoscopy

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Abstract
THE annual incidence of colorectal cancer in the United States is 100,000 cases, and the five-year survival rate for all stages, 41 per cent, has remained unchanged for the past 25 years.1 , 2 Heavy reliance has been placed on use of the rigid sigmoidoscope in the belief that such an examination provides early detection of 67 to 75 per cent of large-bowel cancers.3 However, recent data suggest proximal migration in the distribution of the sites of colon cancer since a substantial percentage of lesions have been found above the view of the rigid instrument.4 , 5 However, thin, flexible fiberoptic endoscopes can visualize . . .