1.   Only two patients were identified as having colonic neoplasia coexisting with upper gastrointestinal lesions.

2.   The coexistence of colonic cancer or large polyps with an upper gastrointestinal lesion identified at endoscopy was rate in outpatients referred from family practitioners.

3.   Sixteen per cent of patients with benign upper gastrointestinal lesions had coincidental colonic neoplasia after excluding those with partial gastrectomies and upper gastrointestinal malignancy.

4.   The frequency of upper gastrointestinal lesions is in accord with other studies.

5.   Only two small colonic polyps were found in patients who had an upper gastrointestinal lesion.

6.   Upper gastrointestinal lesions that were able to be treated were often found at endoscopy and this should be the primary investigaton in such patients.