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.
Number: The more pre-cancerous polyps someone has, the higher their risk will be. So, someone with 1 or 2 small polyps is at less risk than someone with 3-9.
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.
Risk factors for metachronous high-risk colorectal neoplasms
Specifically, patients with 5 or more polyps at index colonoscopy had a significantly higher risk of metachronous HR-CRN (OR, 3.552; 95% CI, 1.522–8.290; p = 0.003).
Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), a rare disorder that causes hundreds or even thousands of polyps to develop in the lining of your colon beginning during your teenage years. If the polyps aren't treated, your risk of developing colon cancer is nearly 100%, usually before age 40.
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.
A gastroenterologist, the specialist who usually performs a colonoscopy, can't tell for certain if a colon polyp is precancerous or cancerous until it's removed and examined under a microscope.
Adenomatous (tubular adenoma)
About 70 percent of all polyps are adenomatous, making it the most common type of colon polyp.
As a general rule, the larger the adenoma, the more likely it is to eventually become a cancer. As a result, large polyps (larger than 5 millimeters, approximately 3/8 inch) are usually removed completely to prevent cancer and for microscopic examination to guide follow-up testing.
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 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.
Foods to limit
Research suggests that eating less of the following foods may have health benefits and may lower your chances of developing polyps: fatty foods, such as fried foods. red meat, such as beef and pork. processed meat, such as bacon, sausage, hot dogs, and lunch meats.
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. Common treatments for colon cancer include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy.
However, when they start growing too fast or larger than usual, they could turn into cancer. If you notice any changes in your bowel habits, such as diarrhea, constipation, bleeding from the rectum, or abdominal pain, see your doctor for an examination and schedule colorectal cancer screening immediately.
It's possible to have multiple polyps that are flat or raised (as if they are on a stalk). Polyps are one of the most common colorectal conditions, occurring in 15 - 20 percent of the adult population.
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.
The size of a polyp typically does make a difference. The larger the polyp becomes, the bigger the risk of it developing into colon cancer. That risk increases significantly if the polyp is greater than 10 mm (1 cm); research has shown the larger a colon polyp becomes, the more rapidly it grows.
Surveillance refers to the process of evaluating patients with a personal history of polyps or cancer. People who have precancerous polyps completely removed should have a colonoscopy every 3-5 years, depending on the size and number of polyps found.
The presence of PTSD has a marked impact on colonoscopy rates in Australian veterans. The increased polypectomy rate independent of increased colonoscopy rate suggests that PTSD is a risk factor for colonic polyp formation.
If a polyp has cancerous cells, they will also biopsy nearby lymph nodes to determine if the cancer has spread or metastasized to other areas of the body. In this case radiation, chemotherapy or other therapies may be recommended. Colonoscopy screenings can be life saving!
Most colorectal cancers start as a growth on the inner lining of the colon or rectum. These growths are called polyps. Some types of polyps can change into cancer over time (usually many years), but not all polyps become cancer. The chance of a polyp turning into cancer depends on the type of polyp it is.
In most cases this can be done by removing the polyp or taking out the area with cancer through a colonoscope (local excision). Removing part of the colon (partial colectomy) may be needed if a cancer is too big to be removed by local excision.
Classic familial adenomatous polyposis, called FAP or classic FAP, is a genetic condition. It is diagnosed when a person develops more than 100 adenomatous colon polyps. An adenomatous polyp is an area where normal cells that line the inside of a person's colon form a mass on the inside of the intestinal tract.