Do Colon Polyps Mean I Have Cancer?

Colon polyps are small clumps of cells that form inside the lining of your colon. While they might sound like something to worry about, most colon polyps are harmless and quite common among adults over 45. However, there are times when these clumps can develop into colon or rectal cancer. Learning more about colon polyps, including their causes, types, risk factors, and treatment options, can help you be better prepared if you have them.

Common Causes of Colon Polyps

When the colon is healthy, its cells go through their routine life cycle properly. However, DNA changes sometimes occur throughout your lifetime, causing colon cells to divide too frequently, which can develop polyps.

According to most experts, the risk of polyp development increases based on your environment, food, and family history. While you can't change your genetics, you can control your lifestyle choices. Smoking, drinking alcohol, obesity, and consuming a high-fat, low-fiber diet are known risk factors associated with polyp formation. Making adjustments in these areas is the best way to help prevent polyps.

What Are the Different Types of Colon Polyps?

There are five main types of colon polyps. They are classified after the tissue is removed during a colonoscopy and examined under a microscope. The types include:

1. Adenomatous: This is the most common type, accounting for about 70% of all colon polyps. Adenomatous polyps have the potential to become cancerous over time.

2. Villous Adenoma: This type represents about 15% of all polyps and is more likely to be cancerous. Due to its flat shape, it may be difficult to remove.

3. Inflammatory: These are technically not polyps but rather inflammation caused by inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). They usually only affect people with the condition and are unlikely to become cancerous.

4. Hyperplastic: These polyps typically multiply, remain small, and do not become cancerous.

5. Sessile Serrated: These polyps can become cancerous and are typically precancerous when found. Larger-sized serrated polyps in the upper colon are often harder to detect.

Risk Factors Associated With Polyp Growth

Polyps can affect anyone, but certain factors can put you at higher risk of developing them, including:

• A family history of cancer or polyps, even those considered non-cancerous

• Age over 45; polyps affect roughly half of all adults

• Being of the black race

• Smoking

• Excessive alcohol consumption (3 or more drinks a day)

• Lack of exercise

• Obesity

• Unhealthy diet high in fat and red meat

• Inflammatory intestinal conditions such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease

• Genetic abnormalities (Lynch syndrome, familial adenomatous polyposis, serrated polyposis syndrome, and others) can cause polyps to form

While there’s no guarantee you’ll never develop colon polyps, making positive adjustments in the areas you can control can help lower your risk.

How are Colon Polyps Detected?

Most polyps are detected during a screening colonoscopy. During this procedure, the doctor examines the rectum and entire colon using a colonoscope, a flexible, lighted tube with a viewing lens, and a tool for removing tissue. Patients are given medicine to relax during the procedure so the doctor can thoroughly examine the colon for polyps. If any suspicious polyps are found, they are removed during the procedure and sent in for testing.

Early detection and diagnosis of colon or rectal cancer improves your chances for a successful treatment. This is why it's important to start getting screened regularly from the age of 45, as it's easier to detect polyps at this stage. If you have a family history or other risk factors for developing colorectal cancer, your doctor may suggest screening at an earlier age.

Other Tests Used to Detect Polyps

Although colonoscopies are commonly used to detect polyps, other tests may be used based on your history and health condition. These include:

• Flexible sigmoidoscopy: This test uses a flexible tube to check the lower third of your colon for polyps. It cannot detect polyps in the upper two-thirds of your colon.

• Virtual colonoscopy: This test uses a CT scan to examine your colon from outside your body. However, the bowel must be cleared like a regular colonoscopy. If abnormalities are found, a colonoscopy will be needed to remove them.

Is Taking an At-Home Stool Test Enough to Find Polyps?

You may have heard of at-home stool tests such as Cologuard®, which are widely popular due to their privacy and convenience. The test is simple: you send a stool sample to a lab to check for blood and analyze DNA for signs of cancer. However, these tests cannot confirm if a polyp is the cause of blood in the stool. If there are signs of blood or cancer, your doctor will request you have a colonoscopy so they can find the source.

Does It Mean I Have Cancer if a Polyp Is Found?

Even though most polyps are harmless, their type and size determine whether cancer is likely to develop. Typically, polyps range between 1 and 9 millimeters (mm) in size. A 2018 study published by the American Journal of Gastroenterology stated that only 3.4% of polyps in this size range were found to be cancerous. However, the cancer rate jumped to 13.4% when polyps measured 10mm or larger.

This information confirms how important it is for individuals to schedule colonoscopies for colon cancer screening when they turn 45. By removing smaller polyps, there is less risk of cancer occurring.

Symptoms Associated With Colon Polyps

It's crucial to undergo regular screening for colon polyps, as they often do not cause symptoms until they reach a specific size. However, when they do cause symptoms, you may experience:

• Unexplained weight loss

• Rectal bleeding

• Stool that contains blood or mucus

• Changes in stool color, such as red streaks or black stools

• Anemia caused by chronic polyp bleeding, which could trigger fatigue and shortness of breath

• Different bowel habits, such as constipation or diarrhea lasting longer than a week

• Stomach pain or cramps caused by large polyps that partially block the bowel

What Treatments Are Used for Colon Polyps?

Polyps can be removed painlessly during a colonoscopy through a procedure known as a polypectomy. This involves using a wire loop to cut off the polyp or an electrocautery device to burn through its base.

If polyps are too large or pose too great a risk to be removed during a colonoscopy, surgery may be necessary. This minimally invasive procedure is performed laparoscopically through a small incision in the abdomen.

After the removal of polyps, follow-up care may be needed, depending on the type of polyp:

• Patients with a personal or family history of polyps are at an increased risk of developing new polyps; those who have had an adenoma have a 30% to 40% risk of recurrence within three years

• Adenomatous polyps need a repeat colonoscopy; the timing depends on the polyp’s size, number, and appearance.

• Hyperplastic polyps in the upper colon typically require more frequent repeat colonoscopies.

• Small hyperplastic polyps in the lower colon usually don’t require follow-up until the next colonoscopy in 10 years.

Your doctor considers these factors when recommending the best screening schedule.

What To Do After Being Diagnosed With a Cancerous Polyp

If you've received a diagnosis of a cancerous polyp after a colonoscopy, it was likely detected at an early, treatable stage. Your next step will be to consult an oncologist specializing in colon and rectal cancers, such as those at Affiliated Oncologists.

We offer the latest colon and rectal cancer treatment technologies close to home in the south Chicago suburbs of Chicago Ridge, Hazel Crest, Mokena, and Orland Park, Illinois. Request a consultation to discuss available treatment options. We also offer second opinions on previously received treatment recommendations.

Categories: Colorectal Cancer