At Capital Digestive Care, our providers offer a comprehensive range of digestive health services.
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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.
In most cases, colon cancer develops without any symptoms. As the disease progresses, symptoms may include:
The American College of Gastroenterology recommends a colonoscopy as the best colon cancer screening tool beginning at age 45 for healthy adults.
If you have symptoms or have other risk factors, talk to your doctor about when you should start screening.
We don’t know what causes colon polyps. Risk factors for developing colon polyps or colon cancer include:
If your doctor finds polyps during a colonoscopy or other procedure, they may remove them immediately and take tissue samples for analysis.
Your doctor can help you determine if you need to get checked for colon polyps or colon cancer. They may recommend the following tests or procedures:
Colon cancer, unlike most other forms of cancer, is preventable — and yet, it’s the third deadliest form of cancer among men and women in the U.S.
By following the recommended guidelines for colon cancer screening, your doctor can find colon polyps and remove them before they become cancerous.
