What Are Colon Polyps And Are They Serious?

Colon polyps are small pieces of tissue that grow on the inside of your large intestine (colon). Usually polyps are benign (noncancerous), but large polyps can become cancerous especially in individuals over age 50. You may have a single or multiple polyps.

Those individuals who have had polyps before, have a family history of polyps, are over 50 years of age, or who eat a lot of fatty foods, smoke or drink alcohol can be at higher risk for developing polyps. Individuals who do not exercise or who are overweight are also at higher risk for developing polyps.

Signs that you may have a colon polyp are bleeding from your anus, or noticing blood in your underwear or on the toilet paper when you wipe. Individuals who experience constipation or diarrhea more than once a week or those who see blood in their stools may have polyps and should be checked out.

If you notice any of the above signs or symptoms, are over 50, or have someone else in your family with polyps or who has colon cancer, you should have your doctor check you for the presence of polyps.

If you do have colon polyps they can easily be removed during a colonoscopy. A colonoscopy is a procedure that is used to check for the presence of colon polyps.

Colon polyps are seen more frequently in individuals who have diets low in fruits, vegetables, protein from vegetable sources and those who eat low amounts of roughage.

Individuals who smoke more than 20 cigarettes a day are 250% more likely to have colon polyps than those who are nonsmokers. Individuals who drink alcohol are 87% more likely to have colon polyps than those who do not drink alcohol.

If you have a "first degree relative" that has colon polyps you are more likely to develop colon polyps too.

Polyps can vary in size and can be in other parts of the body besides the colon. They can also vary in shape or have a stem. It is important to discover when you have a polyp because even the smaller harmless ones can grow and over time develop into cancer.

Most polyps are harmless but large ones can develop cancer. It can take up to five years for a polyp to develop to a 1/2" size (1cm) in diameter and once a polyp is that size it make take another 5 years for it to develop into cancer. Another 5 to 10 years will pass before that same polyp causes any symptoms and by then it is frequently too late.

Polyps are generally painless and even when you have bleeding, the bleeding may go unnoticed too. Those at risk for polyps should consult with their doctor to see when and how often they should have checks.