Low-dose rectal sulindac maintenance therapy is highly effective in achieving complete adenoma reversion without relapse in 87 percent of patients after 33 months. Rectal FAP phenotype should be crucial for the surgical decision. Colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis and regular chemoprevention might proceed to be a promising alternative to pouch procedures. Chemoprevention with lower incidence of FAP-related tumors via dysplasia reversion may be possible in the future.

After colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis (IRA) for treatment of familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), the rectal mucosa remains, with the risk of malignant change. Locoregional (rectal) sulindac has been applied, with initial higher-dose therapy and subsequent low-dose maintenance therapy to minimise side-effects. The dose-finding study with sulindac suppositories started with a dose of 300 mg sulindac daily per patient over 6 weeks. Depending on proctoscopical evaluation of regression of polyposis, sulindac doses were reduced in predefined steps. Ten of 15 patients developed a complete remission following 42 weeks of treatment, while the rest had partial remission. Responses were recorded 6-24 weeks after beginning sulindac treatment. After 36 weeks, 13/15 patients received 25-50 mg sulindac daily. An increase in the number of partial remissions after 42 weeks of treatment at doses of 100 mg sulindac daily may indicate the first approach to a reduced dose between 100 mg to 25 mg sulindac daily, but may also point to the importance of long-term treatment rather than dose-intense therapy.

Low-dose antiproliferative sulindac therapy is highly effective in adenoma reversion in familial adenomatous polyposis patients. Sulindac shows influence on tumor-suppressor genes and on apoptosis markers. An immunostaining correlation indicates adenoma relapse in flat microadenomas in advance of macroscopic appearance. Low-dose sulindac treatment may develop into an additive permnanent therapy for colectomized familial adenomatous polyposis patients.

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