"Precancerous polyps are extremely common," he says. "We expect to find them in more than a quarter of the colonoscopies that we do at a minimum. So, you know, maybe a third or even a half of all patients getting [a] colonoscopy will have precancerous polyps."
It is considered an abnormal growth, but in many cases, they are found to be benign (commonly in the early stages). However, over time polyps can become large and malignant if they aren't treated. Many polyps are found to be pre-cancerous, which means they have the potential to turn cancerous if they aren't removed.
Polyps are common in American adults, and while many colon polyps are harmless, over time, some polyps could develop into colon cancer. While the majority of colon cancers start as polyps, only 5-10% of all polyps will become cancerous.
Approximately two-thirds of colon polyps are adenomas – that means 66 percent of all colon polyps are precancerous and mean you could develop colon cancer.
Are all polyps precancerous? Not all polyps are precancerous or cancerous. Sometimes the nature of a polyp can be distinguished based on how it looks during a colonoscopy. But only removal for examination under a microscope by a pathologist can accurately determine if a polyp is precancerous.
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.
Adenomas: Many colon polyps are the precancerous type, called adenomas. It can take seven to 10 or more years for an adenoma to evolve into cancer—if it ever does. Overall, only 5% of adenomas progress to cancer, but your individual risk is hard to predict. Doctors remove all the adenomas they find.
How long does it take for a polyp to turn into cancer? The growth and mutation of colon polyps into cancer is a slow process, taking an estimated 10 years on average. So as long as patients are screened, it is unlikely they will develop cancerous polyps.
The biggest risk factor for developing polyps is being older than 50. A family history of colon polyps or colon cancer increases the risk of polyps. Also, people with a personal history of polyps or colon cancer are at higher risk of developing new polyps in the future than a person who has never had a polyp.
Polyps are benign, meaning that they're not cancer and they won't spread, but over time certain types can develop into cancer. One of these types is called adenomatous polyps. These are known as pre-cancerous polyps. Polyps bigger than 1 centimeter have a greater cancer risk than polyps under 1 centimeter.
If your doctor finds precancerous polyps, there is no need for any additional treatment as long as they remove the entire polyp. Removing the tissue stops the development of cancer.
Colon cancers develop from precancerous polyps that grow larger and eventually transform into cancer. It is believed to take about 10 years for a small precancerous polyp to grow into cancer.
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.
Adopt healthy habits.
Limit alcohol and quit all tobacco use. Stay physically active and maintain a healthy body weight. Talk to your health care provider about calcium and vitamin D. Studies have shown that increasing the intake of calcium may help prevent the return of colon adenomas.
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.
Research indicates that as many as 60 percent of polyps may grow back within three years. Also, about 30 percent of patients who've had polyps removed will develop new ones. This is why it is important to talk to the care team about follow-up screening within five years after the polyps are removed.
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.
Studies show that few smaller polyps are cancerous. As polyps slowly grow, however, the cancer risk rises. It's estimated that it takes about 10 years for cancer to form into a colorectal polyp.
Precancerous conditions of the colon or rectum are changes to cells that make them more likely to develop into cancer. These conditions are not yet cancer. But if they aren't treated, there is a chance that these abnormal changes may become colorectal cancer.
Doctors treat colon polyps by removing them. In most cases, doctors use special tools during a colonoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy to remove colon polyps. After doctors remove the polyp, they send it for testing to check for cancer. A pathologist will review the test results and send a report to your doctor.
For patients with 1-2 sessile serrated polyps (SSPs) <10 mm in size completely removed at high-quality examination, repeat colonoscopy in 5-10 years. 12. For patients with traditional serrated adenomas (TSAs) completely removed at a high-quality examination, repeat colonoscopy in 3 years.
If a doctor discovers polyps, they will often remove them via a colonoscopy or laparoscopy. The doctor will then send any removed polyps to a pathologist for a biopsy to see if cancer is present. If the biopsy reveals that cancer is present, then cancer specialists will outline a treatment plan for the person.
Villous Adenoma (Tubulovillous Adenoma)
This type of polyp carries a high risk of turning cancerous.
Right-sided polyps are more likely to develop into cancers — which often grow rapidly and have a higher risk for metastasis, spreading to distant body areas. Right-sided colon cancers also tend to develop from flat polyps rather than the usual mushroom-shaped ones, and are genetically atypical, too.
The risk of colorectal cancer increases as people get older. Colorectal cancer can occur in young adults and teenagers, but the majority of colorectal cancers occur in people older than 50. For colon cancer, the average age at the time of diagnosis for men is 68 and for women is 72.