My father has had polyps removed and 3 of his brothers died of colon cancer.
Below is a summary of colon polyps:
Colorectal cancers usually begin as benign polyps that grow from the mucosa. Some individuals are more likely than others to develop polyps, especially those with a personal or family history of polyps and/or colorectal cancer, and those that carry specific genes for hereditary forms of colorectal cancer. New information has also indicated that individuals who have type 2 diabetes and those who are considered obese are also at greater risk for developing polyps and colorectal cancer.
Most polyps remain benign and are often termed hyperplastic polyps. The likelihood that hyperplastic polyps will become cancer is very low.
Other benign polyps are sometimes referred to as pre-cancerous. These polyps are not malignant, themselves, but have a chance of becoming cancerous if not removed.
Examples include adenomatous and hamartomatous polyps. Adenomatous polyps that have tubular or villous characteristics have a higher chance of becoming cancerous. Adenomatous and hamartomatous polyps are also the types of polyps that are usually associated with hereditary colorectal cancer syndromes. The only truly malignant polyp is one that has been shown to contain invasive carcinoma. Sometimes the carcinoma is confined to the polyp, and other times it has invaded one or more layers of the intestine.
Adenomas usually grow on a stalk, resembling small mushrooms. They tend to grow slowly over a decade or more. The risk of an adenoma developing into cancer increases as the size of the adenoma increases and with the amount of time they have been growing in the colon. Adenomas that are malignant are called adenocarcinomas. In the very early stages, abnormal cells are contained inside the polyp and can be easily removed by colonscopy before they develop into invasive cancer. However, as cancer cells grow and divide within the polyp, they can eventually invade nearby colon tissue and grow into and beyond the wall of the colon or rectum. If the cancer becomes advanced, the tumors will grow though all of the tissue layers of the colon rectum, and may metastasize, shedding cells into the circulatory system, spreading the cancer to other organs such as the liver and lungs.
This is why individuals with a family history of colon cancer or polyps need to have a colonoscopy. As invasive and uncomfortable the procedure may be, it is important so that any polyps that are found can be removed.
If you have relatives who have had colon cancer or polyps, please get screened. A colonoscopy can literally save your life.
No comments:
Post a Comment