Colon Polyps
What are colon polyps?
Colon polyps are growths on the inside surface of the colon, or large intestine. There are multiple types of polyps, including those that are benign, pre-malignant and cancerous.
What are the symptoms of colon polyps?
Colon polyps are usually asymptomatic. Larger polyps have the potential for bleeding, which can cause iron deficiency anemia, and also result in blood in the stool. The bleeding can both be microscopic or visible. Colon polyps are common in American adults. They can become cancerous in time, but are easily removed/treated at early stages, making colon cancer screening a very important and effective way to prevent colon cancer.
How are colon polyps diagnosed and treated?
Polyps are found and removed via colonoscopy. Stool-based screening kits (i.e. Cologuard) are not very effective at detecting polyps-only roughly 40 percent of polyps are found via stool-based DNA screening. The stool-based testing is effective at finding cancer, but we believe finding and removing polyps before they can become cancerous is a far better approach.
Polyps can be more common in patients with relatives who have had colon polyps or colon cancer, and there are inheritable colon cancer/polyp syndromes. In terms of preventing growing polyps, no single intervention has been consistently shown to be beneficial, but factors found to be helpful include: regular physical activity, avoidance of cigarette smoking, diets low in saturated fats and red meat, and maintaining a healthy body weight. The single best intervention remains having regular colonoscopies at periodic intervals (typically every five or 10 years based on your health and family history) to find, detect and remove polyps.
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Locations
North Location
6031 E Woodmen Rd #100
Colorado Springs, CO, 80923
Central Location
2940 N. Circle Drive
Colorado Springs, CO, 80909
Endoscopy Centers of Colorado Springs – Audubon Medical Campus
2940 North Circle Drive
Colorado Springs, CO, 80909
Endoscopy Centers of Colorado Springs – St Francis Medical Campus
6031 E Woodmen Rd #100
Colorado Springs, CO, 80923