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| Colon Polyps |
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Stroke
A polyp* is extra tissue that grows inside your body. Colon
polyps grow in the large intestine. The large intestine, also
called the colon, is part of your digestive system. It's a long,
hollow tube at the end of your digestive tract where your
body makes and stores stool.
Are polyps dangerous?
Most polyps are not dangerous. Most are benign, which
means they are not cancer. But over time, some types of
polyps can turn into cancer. Usually, polyps that are smaller
than a pea aren't harmful. But larger polyps could someday
become cancer or may already be cancer. To be safe, doctors
remove all polyps and test them.
Who gets polyps?
Anyone can get polyps, but certain people are more likely than
others. You may have a greater chance of getting polyps if
* you're over 50. The older you get, the more likely you are to
develop polyps.
* you've had polyps before.
* someone in your family has had polyps.
* someone in your family has had cancer of the large intestine.
You may also be more likely to get polyps if you
* eat a lot of fatty foods
* smoke
* drink alcohol
* don't exercise
* weigh too much
What are the symptoms?
Most small polyps don't cause symptoms. Often, people don't
know they have one until the doctor finds it during a regular
checkup or while testing them for something else.
But some people do have symptoms like these:
*bleeding from the anus. You might notice blood on your
underwear or on toilet paper after you've had a bowel
movement.
*constipation or diarrhea that lasts more than a week.
* blood in the stool. Blood can make stool look black, or it can
show up as red streaks in the stool.
If you have any of these symptoms, see a doctor to find out
what the problem is.
How does the doctor test for polyps?
The doctor can use four tests to check for polyps:
*Digital rectal exam. The doctor wears gloves and checks
your rectum, the last part of the large intestine, to see if it
feels normal. This test would find polyps only in the rectum,
so the doctor may need to do one of the other tests listed
below to find polyps higher up in the intestine.
*Barium enema. The doctor puts a liquid called barium into
your rectum before taking x rays of your large intestine.
Barium makes your intestine look white in the pictures. Polyps
are dark, so they're easy to see.
#Sigmoidoscopy. With this test, the doctor can see inside
your large intestine. The doctor puts a thin flexible tube into
your rectum. The device is called a sigmoidoscope, and it has
a light and a tiny video camera in it. The doctor uses the
sigmoidoscope to look at the last third of your large intestine.
#Colonoscopy. This test is like sigmoidoscopy, but the
doctor looks at all of the large intestine. It usually requires
sedation.
Who should get tested for polyps?
Talk to your doctor about getting tested for polyps if
* you have symptoms
* you're 50 years old or older
* someone in your family has had polyps or colon cancer
How are polyps treated?
The doctor will remove the polyp. Sometimes, the doctor
takes it out during sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy. Or the
doctor may decide to operate through the abdomen. The
polyp is then tested for cancer.
If you've had polyps, the doctor may want you to get tested
regularly in the future.
How can I prevent polyps?
Doctors don't know of any one sure way to prevent polyps.
But you might be able to lower your risk of getting them if you
* eat more fruits and vegetables and less fatty food
* don't smoke
* avoid alcohol
* exercise every day
* lose weight if you're overweight
Eating more calcium and folate can also lower your risk of
getting polyps. Some foods that are rich in calcium are milk,
cheese, and broccoli. Some foods that are rich in folate are
chickpeas, kidney beans, and spinach.
Some doctors think that aspirin might help prevent polyps.
Studies are under way.
Glossary
Abdomen (AB-duh-men): The area between the chest and
the hips. It contains the stomach, small intestine, large
intestine, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, and spleen.
Anus (AY-nus): The opening through which stool leaves the
body.
Benign (buh-NINE): Not cancerous.
Colonoscopy (koh-luh-NAW-skuh-pee): A test to look
inside the entire large intestine. The doctor uses a flexible
tube that contains a light and a tiny video camera. This device
is called a colonoscope.
Large intestine: A long, hollow tube in your body that makes
and stores stool. Also called the colon.
Polyp (PAH-lip): An extra piece of tissue that grows inside
the body.
Rectum (REK-tum): The last section of the large intestine,
leading to the anus.
Sigmoidoscopy (SIG-moy-DAW-skuh-pee): A test to look
inside the lower section of the large intestine. The doctor uses
a flexible tube that contains a light and a tiny video camera.
The device is called a sigmoidoscope.
Stool: The solid waste that passes through the rectum as a
bowel movement.
Content Credit NDDIC
polyps grow in the large intestine. The large intestine, also
called the colon, is part of your digestive system. It's a long,
hollow tube at the end of your digestive tract where your
body makes and stores stool.
Are polyps dangerous?
Most polyps are not dangerous. Most are benign, which
means they are not cancer. But over time, some types of
polyps can turn into cancer. Usually, polyps that are smaller
than a pea aren't harmful. But larger polyps could someday
become cancer or may already be cancer. To be safe, doctors
remove all polyps and test them.
Who gets polyps?
Anyone can get polyps, but certain people are more likely than
others. You may have a greater chance of getting polyps if
* you're over 50. The older you get, the more likely you are to
develop polyps.
* you've had polyps before.
* someone in your family has had polyps.
* someone in your family has had cancer of the large intestine.
You may also be more likely to get polyps if you
* eat a lot of fatty foods
* smoke
* drink alcohol
* don't exercise
* weigh too much
What are the symptoms?
Most small polyps don't cause symptoms. Often, people don't
know they have one until the doctor finds it during a regular
checkup or while testing them for something else.
But some people do have symptoms like these:
*bleeding from the anus. You might notice blood on your
underwear or on toilet paper after you've had a bowel
movement.
*constipation or diarrhea that lasts more than a week.
* blood in the stool. Blood can make stool look black, or it can
show up as red streaks in the stool.
If you have any of these symptoms, see a doctor to find out
what the problem is.
How does the doctor test for polyps?
The doctor can use four tests to check for polyps:
*Digital rectal exam. The doctor wears gloves and checks
your rectum, the last part of the large intestine, to see if it
feels normal. This test would find polyps only in the rectum,
so the doctor may need to do one of the other tests listed
below to find polyps higher up in the intestine.
*Barium enema. The doctor puts a liquid called barium into
your rectum before taking x rays of your large intestine.
Barium makes your intestine look white in the pictures. Polyps
are dark, so they're easy to see.
#Sigmoidoscopy. With this test, the doctor can see inside
your large intestine. The doctor puts a thin flexible tube into
your rectum. The device is called a sigmoidoscope, and it has
a light and a tiny video camera in it. The doctor uses the
sigmoidoscope to look at the last third of your large intestine.
#Colonoscopy. This test is like sigmoidoscopy, but the
doctor looks at all of the large intestine. It usually requires
sedation.
Who should get tested for polyps?
Talk to your doctor about getting tested for polyps if
* you have symptoms
* you're 50 years old or older
* someone in your family has had polyps or colon cancer
How are polyps treated?
The doctor will remove the polyp. Sometimes, the doctor
takes it out during sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy. Or the
doctor may decide to operate through the abdomen. The
polyp is then tested for cancer.
If you've had polyps, the doctor may want you to get tested
regularly in the future.
How can I prevent polyps?
Doctors don't know of any one sure way to prevent polyps.
But you might be able to lower your risk of getting them if you
* eat more fruits and vegetables and less fatty food
* don't smoke
* avoid alcohol
* exercise every day
* lose weight if you're overweight
Eating more calcium and folate can also lower your risk of
getting polyps. Some foods that are rich in calcium are milk,
cheese, and broccoli. Some foods that are rich in folate are
chickpeas, kidney beans, and spinach.
Some doctors think that aspirin might help prevent polyps.
Studies are under way.
Glossary
Abdomen (AB-duh-men): The area between the chest and
the hips. It contains the stomach, small intestine, large
intestine, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, and spleen.
Anus (AY-nus): The opening through which stool leaves the
body.
Benign (buh-NINE): Not cancerous.
Colonoscopy (koh-luh-NAW-skuh-pee): A test to look
inside the entire large intestine. The doctor uses a flexible
tube that contains a light and a tiny video camera. This device
is called a colonoscope.
Large intestine: A long, hollow tube in your body that makes
and stores stool. Also called the colon.
Polyp (PAH-lip): An extra piece of tissue that grows inside
the body.
Rectum (REK-tum): The last section of the large intestine,
leading to the anus.
Sigmoidoscopy (SIG-moy-DAW-skuh-pee): A test to look
inside the lower section of the large intestine. The doctor uses
a flexible tube that contains a light and a tiny video camera.
The device is called a sigmoidoscope.
Stool: The solid waste that passes through the rectum as a
bowel movement.
Content Credit NDDIC
| MEDICAL NOTES |