Is preoperative colonoscopy in all gynecologic cancer patients necessary?

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to evaluate the necessity of preoperative colonoscopy in gynecologic cancer patients.
METHODS: Retrospectively, patients diagnosed with gynecologic cancers and undergoing preoperative colonoscopy between January 2013 and April 2020 in Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University were included in the study, and their information was recorded.
RESULTS: A total of 186 patients with gynecologic cancers were included in the study. Of these, 64 (35%) were less than 50 years of age, and 122 (65%) were 50 years or older. The mean age was 58.83±14.20 years (min: 31, max: 85). In the study, 96 (51.6%) of the patients had endometrial cancer, 54 (29%) had ovarian cancer, 34 (18.3%) had uterine-cervix cancer, and 2 (1.1%) patients had vulvar cancer. Extrinsic compression in 18 (9.7%), colonic polyps in 16 (8.6%), primary colorectal cancer in 4 (2.2%), and metastases to the rectum or sigmoid colon in 2 (1.1%) of patients were detected.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Colonoscopy permits more excellent detection of colorectal lesions and may give surgeons some vital information about the spreading of gynecologic cancer, which may, in turn, alter the treatment modality.