Colon polyps grow in the inner lining of the large intestine (colon and rectum).
These growths are common and usually harmless, but some polyps can become cancerous. That's why it's crucial to have routine colon cancer screening exams starting at age 45.
Doctors can remove colon polyps during a screening exam.
Related services include:
Doctors define colon polyps as small growths on the inner lining of the colon and rectum. Doctors may also refer to the growth as a colorectal polyp.
The colon is the longest section of the large intestine. It absorbs water and nutrients from the foods you eat, then changes the waste products that remain into stool.
The stool passes into the rectum, the end of the large intestine.
Colon polyps can occur at any age, but they're more common among older people. Some people get just one polyp, while others form more.
Having colon polyps doesn't mean you'll get colon cancer. And since colon cancer grows slowly, catching it early means there's a good chance of curing it.
That's why doctors remove any colon polyps during screening.
There are many types of colon polyps. Adenomas are the precancerous type.
Doctors believe it takes about 10 years for a small adenoma to transform into cancer. That's why they advise a screening colonoscopy once a decade for most people over 45.
They may suggest more frequent screenings if you have a family history of colon cancer or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
It's common for doctors to find polyps when they do a colonoscopy.
About 20 to 30% of adults in the U.S. get colon polyps.
Doctors classify polyps by the way they look and behave.
The types of colon polyps include:
Doctors aren't sure what causes colon polyps. It could be a mix of factors linked to your genes, lifestyle, and environment.
Risk factors for getting colon polyps include:
Some colon polyps will turn into cancerous tumors. There's a chance you could get colon cancer if you don't remove polyps.
There isn't a way to fully reduce the risk of colon polyps. But if you adopt healthy lifestyle habits, you can help stop them from forming.
To reduce your risk of getting colon polyps and colon cancer, you should:
Most colon polyps don't turn into cancer.
Bigger polyps are more likely to become cancerous than small ones.
It's crucial to be aware of any signs of colon polyps.
Screening exams are the best way to learn if you have them or not.
There doesn't tend to be any symptoms of colon polyps. As a rule, you can't tell if you have a colon polyp without a screening test.
But if a polyp is very large, it may cause:
The most common test for colon polyps is a colonoscopy. It's an outpatient test, which means you go home the same day.
You get ready for the test by drinking a colon cleansing fluid to empty out your colon.
During a colonoscopy, your doctor will look at your colon through a camera attached to a long, thin tube. If they find polyps, they'll remove them during the test.
Other tests to detect your risk for colon polyps include:
Doctors can remove polyps during a colonoscopy. They cut them out and burn the tissue to seal off blood vessels to stop bleeding.
Polyp removal is painless.
After doctors remove the polyp, they send it to a lab to see if there's any sign of cancer.
There's no test to find out which polyps may turn into cancer, so it's best to remove all of them.
Large polyps may require a second treatment to remove them fully. In rare cases, you may need surgery to remove an extra-large polyp.
Once doctors remove a polyp, it doesn't tend to come back. But you are at risk for developing polyps at other sites in the large intestine.
Most people should have their first screening test at age 45.
If the lab report confirms a precancerous polyp, you'll need a follow-up screening in 3 to 5 years.
If you don't have any polyps, doctors suggest testing every 10 years.
People with a family history of colon or rectal cancer should have a colonoscopy:
