M. D. Anderson Cancer Center are encouraging men and women to learn more about colon polyps and how they affect a person's risks for cancer.
"Finding out you have colon polyps doesn't have to be frightening," said Gottumukkala S. Raju, M.D., professor in the Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition at M. D. Anderson. "Most colon polyps are not cancer. Yet, certain kinds of polyps may make you more likely to develop colon cancer."
The colon is part of the large intestine. A colon polyp is a growth on the inside lining of the colon. A doctor looks for polyps during a colonoscopy.
Learn your polyp type
Polyps come in different shapes and sizes. Some are:
* Raised on stems like mushrooms
* Found on the surface of the colon, like a mushroom without a stalk
* Found flat on the surface of the colon, like a pancake
When a doctor removes a polyp during a colonoscopy, he or she sends it to a pathologist for examination under a microscope. The pathologist determines if the polyp is a:
* Hyperplastic polyp, which is not cancer
* Adenomatous polyp, which is not cancer but can become cancer if it's not removed
* Malignant polyp, which is cancer
"It's important for you to know all about the polyps your doctor found during your last colonoscopy," Raju said.
Instructions for collecting polyp history
Raju recommends that everyone review their last colonoscopy report and make note of what was found, including the:
* Number of polyps
* Type of each polyp
* Size of each polyp