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.
Polyp growths are actually fairly common among adults, with a 25% chance of having a polyp at the age of 60. On the opposite end, it's very rare for adults in their 20s to develop a polyp. In fact, the biggest risk factor for having a polyp is simply being over the age of 50.
Colon polyps are uncommon in people in their 20s, according to the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE), but more than 40% of people in their 50s have precancerous colon polyps.
However, it's not totally uncommon to find significant-sized polyps in younger people in their 30s or 40s (and even in their 20s!) From the time a polyp starts growing, it is thought to take more than 10 years for the polyp to grow into cancer…and not all adenomatous polyps grow larger or turn into cancer at all.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
Anywhere between 15 and 40 percent of adults may have colon polyps. Colon polyps are more common in men and older adults.
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.
"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.
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.
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. The size of a polyp typically does make a difference.
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.
Most polyps grow slowly and take from between 10 and 15 years to become cancerous.
Conclusion. This study suggests that patients who experienced total life events may be at higher risk of having colon polyps and adenomas which indicates an association between stress and the development of colorectal polyps.
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.
Approximately 15 percent of polyps detected in colon cancer screening are villous or tubulovillous adenomas. This type of polyp carries a high risk of turning cancerous. They are commonly sessile, which makes them more difficult to remove.
The only way to be sure that a colon polyp has cancer is to remove the polyp and look at it under a microscope. But a colonoscopy may show some signs that there may be cancer.
Living with polyps
Treatment provides a good outlook. If you do not get your polyps removed, they can continue to grow. They may develop into cancer. If you've had polyps before, you are at greater risk of getting more.
Are all polyps removed during the colonoscopy? “The majority of polyps are removed during the colonoscopy,” said Dr. Szczurek. “In rare cases where polyps are too large to be safely removed (considered complex), they are biopsied, and additional procedures may be needed.”