Men are more likely to develop colon polyps than women. But getting older is also a risk factor for developing polyps, which is why it's recommended that people start having colorectal cancer screenings at age 45.
With increasing age, smaller polyps became less common, while larger polyps increased in frequency.
Colon polyps are extremely common among adults 50 years of age and older, occurring in over 40 percent of individuals who undergo screening colonoscopy.
Aging — Polyps and colorectal cancers are uncommon before age 40. Ninety percent of cases occur after age 50, with males somewhat more likely to develop polyps than females; therefore, colon cancer screening is usually recommended starting at age 50 for both sexes.
A polyp is the result of genetic changes in the cells of the colon lining that affect the normal cell life cycle. Many factors can increase the risk or rate of these changes. Factors are related to your diet, lifestyle, older age, gender and genetics or hereditary issues.
If the colonoscopy finds one or two small polyps (5 mm in diameter or smaller), you are considered at relatively low risk. Most people will not have to return for a follow-up colonoscopy for at least five years, and possibly longer.
Symptoms of bowel polyps
Bowel polyps do not usually cause any symptoms, so most people with polyps will not know they have them. They're often picked up during screening for bowel cancer. But some larger polyps can cause: a small amount of slime (mucus) or blood in your poo (rectal bleeding)
Not all polyps pose a higher risk for colorectal cancer. But some colon cancers may start as polyps. So, the more polyps you have, the higher your cancer risk. Someone with just one or two small polyps is generally at lower risk of having or developing colon cancer than someone with three to nine, or more.
Most polyps grow slowly and take from between 10 and 15 years to become cancerous. Due to this general time frame, most screenings are scheduled every 10 years which gives Colorectal Surgical Associates time to remove any polyps before they become cancerous.
Polyps are very common in adults, particularly older adults. In fact, an average 60-year-old who doesn't have any risk factors still has a 25 percent chance of developing polyps.
Anyone can develop colon polyps. You're at higher risk if you are 50 or older, are overweight or are a smoker. You're also at higher risk if you have a personal or family history of colon polyps or colon cancer.
Polyps are one of the key culprits in colon cancer. Most people with polyps may not experience any symptoms. It's important to have regular screening tests, such as a colonoscopy. Polyps found in the early stages usually can be removed safely and completely.
Smoking, obesity, diabetes, and inadequate exercise are risk factors for polyps, but many people with none of these risk factors have precancerous polyps in the colon. There are genetic risk factors for developing polyps as well.
It's estimated that it takes about 10 years for cancer to form into a colorectal polyp.
These polyps vary in size, but the larger a polyp is, the greater the likelihood that it will become cancerous. For the most part, it takes years for a polyp to become cancerous, and in fact most polyps never turn malignant.
Colon polyps are common in American adults. Anywhere between 15 and 40 percent of adults may have colon polyps. Colon polyps are more common in men and older adults.
Adenomatous (tubular adenoma)
About 70 percent of all polyps are adenomatous, making it the most common type of colon polyp.
Don't worry. Most polyps aren't cancer. But some types of colon polyps do increase your risk of developing colonrectal cancer. So, it's important to be informed.
If your doctor finds one or two polyps less than 0.4 inch (1 centimeter) in diameter, he or she may recommend a repeat colonoscopy in 7 to 10 years, depending on your other risk factors for colon cancer. Your doctor will recommend another colonoscopy sooner if you have: More than two polyps.
In multivariable analysis, the presence of 5 or more polyps at index colonoscopy was found to be associated with the risk of metachronous HR-CRN (OR, 2.575, p = 0.049) after adjusting for risk factors, such as obesity, diabetes, and smoking.
Folic acid and folate: Folic acid and folate can help to prevent the formation of polyps in people who regularly consume at least 400 micrograms per day. Foods containing high amounts of folic acid include rice, spaghetti, cornmeal, ramen, and flour.
"Sometimes they just go away on their own, but removing polyps is thought to be one of the mechanisms by which we can prevent the formation of cancer in the first place." That's why regular screening is so important. The downside is that if a polyp is found in your colon, you may have to get screened more frequently.