What is a colonic polyp?
A colonic polyp is a growth that forms on the inner lining of the large intestine. They can vary in size, shape and type.
Most are harmless, but some can eventually become cancerous.
How do polyps form?
Colonic polyps form when the cells lining your colon grow a bit more than they should. This can happen for different reasons – sometimes it’s just part of getting older, sometimes it’s from inflammation, lifestyle factors or inherited genetic changes.
Most polyps grow slowly and aren’t dangerous, but some can change over time and could lead to cancer if they’re not removed.
Who gets polyps?
Polyps are more common as we get older and the risk starts to increase after age 45–50.
You’re also more likely to get them if you have a family history of polyps or colon cancer, certain inherited conditions, inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes or certain lifestyle factors.
Smoking, drinking too much alcohol, eating a poor diet, not getting enough exercise, or being overweight can also make polyps more likely to turn cancerous.
What are the symptoms?
Colonic polyps often don’t cause any symptoms, especially when they’re small.
When symptoms do appear, they usually include:
- Blood in the toilet paper or in your stool.
- Iron-deficiency or anaemia, which can make you feel tired.
- Changes in bowel habits, such as diarrhoea, constipation or both.
Because most polyps are asymptomatic, they are commonly detected during a colonoscopy.
Types of polyps
Benign / Non cancerous
- Hyperplastic
They form when the cells lining the colon grow a little more than usual and don’t shed as quickly as they should. - Inflammatory
They are the result of repeated irritation or injury to the bowel lining. - Hamartomatous
They are normal tissue that grows in a disorganized way.
Usually harmless, but certain genetic conditions can raise the risk of cancer, as juvenile polyposis, Peutz-Jeghers or Cowden syndromes.
Pre-malignant
- Adenomatous (adenomas)
They are the most common precancerous or premalignant type. They can turn into a cancer over years if not removed. The villous type is the less common, but carries a higher risk to turn into cancer! - Sessile serrated adenomas (SSAs)
They are flat polyps that can be harder to spot. They form when colon cells grow in a wavy or saw-tooth pattern.
Bowel cancer screening
Bowel cancer screening looks for blood in the stool because even tiny amounts can be an early sign of polyps or cancer, often before any symptoms appear.
Screening saves lives!
It helps find polyps early and detect bowel cancer at a stage when it is much easier to treat.
In Australia, if you are 50-74, the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program will send you a free bowel screening test every 2 years.
If you’re 45–49, you can also request a free home test kit – a simple stool test called an FOBT.
The test is done at home and mailed back. It’s quick, simple and can detect tiny amounts of blood that you wouldn’t otherwise notice.
If you have a positive FOBT, the next step is a colonoscopy. This lets doctors look inside the bowel to look for polyps.
If you have a family history of bowel cancer or polyps or if you develop symptoms, it’s important to speak with your GP. You may need screening earlier or a colonoscopy instead of the home test.
What is the treatment?
The treatment is to remove the polyps and most of the time this is done during your colonoscopy. Occasionally, if a polyp is too large to remove that way, surgery might be needed – but thanks to screening, this is much less common.
After removal, the polyps are checked under a microscope to make sure they aren’t cancerous.
Based on their number, size, type and your personal risk factors, your doctor will Let you know when your next colonoscopy should be.
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