COLON POLYPS

Important information regarding your health

A colon polyp is an abnormal growth rising from the large intestine (colon). Most polyps are benign, which means they are non-cancerous and typically cause no symptoms. Most benign polyps are classified as one of three types: traditional adenomas, sessile serrated adenomas, and hyperplastic polyps. Traditional adenomas are usually sporadic but can be associated with underlying hereditary cancer disorders and are considered the precursor lesion for chromosomal instability pathway of colorectal carcinoma. Sessile serrated adenomas sometimes referred to as sessile serrated polyps or sessile serrated polyps with abnormal proliferation, are a recently described polyp that are considered to be the precursor lesion for the microsatellite instability pathway of colorectal carcinoma. These polyps usually involve the more proximal colon and are treated in a similar manner as traditional adenomas. The third and most common hyperplastic polyp is benign and, in most instances, is not considered to be premalignant. A definitive distinction between the three polyp types requires polyp removal and microscopic examination by a surgical pathologist.

Anyone can get colon polyps, but certain people are more likely to get them than others.¹ You may have a higher risk if:

• You are over 50 years of age

• You have had polyps before
• Someone in your family has had polyps
• Someone in your family has had cancer
• You have had uterine or ovarian cancer before age 502

Common Symptoms:

Most people with colon polyps do not experience any symptoms. Often, people don’t know they have one until the doctor finds it during a regular checkup or while testing for something else. Some people, however, do have symptoms, such as:

1. Bleeding from the anus (you might notice blood on your underwear or on toilet paper after you’ve had a bowel movement)

2. Constipation or diarrhea that lasts more than a week

3. Blood in the stool