A colon polyp is a growth of extra tissue in the lining of the bowel, colon or large intestine. While some can be cancerous, most are not. However, almost all cases of colon cancers begin as a polyp.
Removing polyps early eliminates the chance that colon cancer will develop from those polyps. By following the guidelines for colon cancer screening, your doctor can find colon polyps and remove them — before they become cancerous.