HWN Suggests

How Do Polyps Play Into Colon Cancer?

Colon polyps do not usually cause any symptoms, and the same is true of early-stage colon cancer. The fact that polyps do not cause symptoms in most cases is one reason why screening is so important. The “Don’t fix it if it’s not broke” doesn’t work in the colon, because the cancer may be advanced by the time it causes symptoms. In some cases, people with colon polyps do develop symptoms. All of the symptoms can also indicate other colon problems, including colon cancer, so it is important to see a doctor...

read full article

Articles of Interest

Colon Polyps – A Complete Overview

Selected colon polyps may convert to be cancerous. The earlier polyps are detached, the less likely it is that they will develop malignantly.

Colon polyps: Detection is key to preventing cancer

The majority of colon polyps can be diagnosed and removed at colonoscopy. If a polyp or polyps are found, then a follow-up colonoscopy is required in three or five years depending on the size, number and degree of change within the polyps...

Colon Polyps: The Good & The Bad

Because of intense public education and awareness, it is now common knowledge that colon or rectal polyps can lead to colon cancer if the polyps are not removed.

Does A Colon Polyp = Colon Cancer? A Colonoscopy Will Tell You

Let’s start with what colorectal surgeons are looking for in a colonoscopy….a colon polyp.

Factors that Increase Risk of Colon Polyps

Colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in the United States. Adenomatous polyps are known precursors of colorectal cancer. The importance of identification and removal of polyps for the prevention of colorectal cancer is clear.

How To Treat And Prevent Colon Polyps Using Functional Medicine

In this episode, Dr. Hyman sits down with Dr. Elizabeth Boham to discuss the Functional Medicine approach to preventing and treating colon polyps. They dive into the importance of eating an anti-inflammatory diet and optimizing gut health to create a terrain in the body where cancer is less likely to grow.

No Polyp Left Behind...

“Flat colon polyps went unnoticed until 10 years ago,” explains Dr. Hack. “My former colleague at Stanford, Dr. Roy Soteikno, published a landmark article in March of 2008 about them. Flat polyps account for about 10 percent of all colon polyps. They are thought to have at least the same potential for developing into colon cancer as regular polyps, and in fact, some of them probably are more pre-cancerous.”

Polyps: Colon cancer culprits

Polyps are one of the key culprits in colon cancer. Since they don't often cause symptoms, it's important to have regular screening tests, such as a colonoscopy. Polyps found in the early stages usually can be removed safely and completely.

The facts about colorectal polyps

Polyps are diagnosed by either looking at the colon lining directly (colonoscopy) or by a specialized CT scan called CT colography (also called a virtual colonoscopy). Barium enema x-rays have been used in the past and may be appropriate in some circumstances.

They found colon polyps: Now what?

"They are not cancer, and most of them have not started to change into cancer," says Dr. John Saltzman, associate professor at Harvard Medical School and director of endoscopy at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. "If you get them at the precancerous phase, they don't have a chance to grow and turn into cancer."

Resources

GI Society

Colorectal polyps are a common occurrence, especially in the aging population. While polyps don’t usually cause symptoms initially, some polyps can progress to colorectal cancer if you don’t have them removed.

StatPearls

Risk factors include advancing age, male gender, high-fat, low-fiber diet, tobacco use, and excess alcohol intake (more than eight drinks a week). Individuals with a family history of polyps, colorectal cancer, and intestinal polyposis carry a higher risk of developing colon polyps. Inflammatory bowel disease was found to be associated with decreased prevalence of polyps.