About Polyps

During colonoscopy, your doctor inserts a very thin flexible tube with a light source and small camera into the large intestine (colon) and examines the lining of the colon. The inside of the colon is a tube-like structure with a flat surface with curved folds. A polyp appears as a lump that protrudes into the inside of the colon. The tissue covering a polyp may look the same as normal colon tissue, or, there may be tissue changes ranging from subtle color changes to ulceration and bleeding. Some polyps are flat (“sessile”) and others extend out on a stalk (“pedunculated”).

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States, accounting for 14 percent of cancer deaths. Colorectal cancer is preventable if precancerous polyps (ie, adenomas) are detected and removed before they become malignant. Over time, some small polyps can change their tissue structure and grow in size to become cancerous polyps. Polyps are removed when they are found on colonoscopy to eliminate the potential for them to become malignant.