Colon and rectal polyps occur in about 25 percent of men and women ages 50 and older. Not all polyps will turn into cancer, and it may take many years for a polyp to become cancerous.
Polyps are one of the most common colorectal conditions, occurring in 15 - 20 percent of the adult population. They can occur anywhere in the large intestine or rectum, but are more commonly found in the left colon, sigmoid colon, or rectum.
A colon polyp is a small clump of cells that forms on the lining of the colon. Most colon polyps are harmless. But over time, some colon polyps can develop into colon cancer, which may be fatal when found in its later stages. Anyone can develop colon polyps.
The most common screening procedure leading to diagnosis in asymptomatic patients is the identification of fecal occult blood. Colon cancer is more likely to be located in the cecum/ascending colon when diagnosed at an asymptomatic stage.
Colon Polyps Types
Most likely, inflammatory and hamartomatous polyps won't become cancer. Adenomas, hyperplastic and serrated come with a cancer risk. It's important to ask your doctors any questions about your pathology report.
Depending on their size and location in the colon, serrated polyps may become cancerous. Small, serrated polyps in the lower colon, also known as hyperplastic polyps, are rarely malignant. Larger serrated polyps, which are typically flat (sessile), difficult to detect and located in the upper colon, are precancerous.
Nearly all cases of colorectal cancer develop from polyps. They start in the inner lining of the colon and most often affect the left side of the colon and rectum.
Cancer of the colon is a highly treatable and often curable disease when localized to the bowel. Surgery is the primary form of treatment and results in cure in approximately 50% of the patients. Recurrence following surgery is a major problem and is often the ultimate cause of death.
Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and indeterminate colitis are forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that can affect the ascending colon. IBD causes inflammation and ulcers in the digestive tract.
If the colonoscopy finds one or two small polyps (5 mm in diameter or smaller), you are considered at relatively low risk.
In 1 to 7 years, depending on a variety of factors: The number, size and type of polyps removed; if you have a history of polyps in previous colonoscopy procedures; if you have certain genetic syndromes; or if you have a family history of colon cancer.
Most polyps grow slowly and take from between 10 and 15 years to become cancerous.
The right colon consists of the cecum, ascending colon, hepatic flexure and the right half of the transverse colon. The left colon consists of the left half of the transverse colon, splenic flexure, descending colon, and sigmoid.
With increasing age, smaller polyps became less common, while larger polyps increased in frequency. Approximately two-thirds of patients had a single polyp and family history of colorectal cancer was reported to be negative in three-fourths of patients.
Most people with colon polyps have no symptoms and don't know they have them. But if you have symptoms — like rectal bleeding, blood in your stools, or other bowel changes — you should see your provider.
The mean age for the onset of the disease is 16 years, but can occur early at 8 years of age. The number and size of polyps increase with time. Most of the CRC (about 70%) tend to occur in the left side, whereas, a small percentage (about 10%) occurs in the right side [38, 39].
Colon cancer most often spreads to the liver, but it can also spread to other places like the lungs, brain, peritoneum (the lining of the abdominal cavity), or to distant lymph nodes. In most cases surgery is unlikely to cure these cancers.
The traditional anatomical view is that the ascending and descending colon are fixed and retroperitoneal. Embryologically, the human midgut (including the right colon and two-thirds of the proximal transverse colon) returns to the abdomen in the tenth week.
Colon cancer, or cancer that begins in the lower part of the digestive tract, usually forms from a collection of benign (noncancerous) cells called an adenomatous polyp. Most of these polyps will not become malignant (cancerous), but some can slowly turn into cancer over the course of about 10-15 years.
Colorectal cancer symptoms may be minor or non-existent during the early stages of the disease, although there may be some early warning signs. The symptoms of colorectal cancer may not develop until the disease has progressed into stage 2 or beyond.
Most polyps are benign (not cancerous). Your doctor can tell if a colon polyp is cancerous during a colonoscopy by collecting tissue to biopsy. The results of the biopsy are typically sent to your doctor within a week. Only 5% to 10% of all polyps become cancerous.
Lack of regular physical activity. A diet low in fruit and vegetables. A low-fiber and high-fat diet, or a diet high in processed meats. Overweight and obesity.