With the growing awareness of health, more and more people are accepting colonoscopy, which often reveals polyps in the intestines. There are many types of intestinal polyps, about two-thirds of which are adenomatous, with a relatively higher risk of malignant transformation. Studies show that approximately 80% to 90% of colorectal cancers develop from adenomatous polyps over time.
So, once intestinal polyps are discovered during an examination, do they necessarily have to be removed? For non-adenomatous polyps smaller than 0.5 centimeters in diameter, a wait-and-see approach can be chosen. However, for other cases, doctors usually recommend removal. Especially for adenomatous polyps, due to the high probability of cancerous changes, they need to be removed promptly. Even for non-adenomatous polyps, the possibility of becoming malignant cannot be entirely excluded; some polyps caused by chronic mucosal inflammation, although benign, may continue to grow and even develop into cancer if they are continuously irritated by inflammation. For benign polyps that have already exceeded 0.5 centimeters, removal is a safer option. Moreover, it is quite difficult to determine with the naked eye during a colonoscopy whether a polyp is adenomatous and whether there is a risk of cancerous changes; a more accurate assessment can only be made after surgical removal and pathological examination.
Many people worry that removing a polyp is a major surgery, but current medical technology allows most polyps to be removed during a colonoscopy, which is not much different from the process of undergoing a colonoscopy. Only in special cases or when the polyp is large will surgical operation be considered.
A colonoscopy can both detect and remove polyps simultaneously, which is essential for the early detection and treatment of polyps in the prevention of colorectal cancer. As one of the five major cancers in China, colorectal cancer results in hundreds of thousands of diagnoses and deaths each year. However, countries such as the United States and Japan have implemented national colonoscopy screening programs, which have curbed the development of colorectal cancer at an earlier stage, and the incidence of the disease has significantly decreased after 20 years. Although we cannot know for certain whether a polyp will ultimately develop into colorectal cancer, timely detection and removal of potentially dangerous polyps can significantly reduce the incidence of colorectal cancer.
If your family members have the following high-risk factors, they should be taken for a colonoscopy in a timely manner:
- Individuals over the age of 50
- Family history of colorectal cancer or colon polyps
- History of hereditary syndromes
- Suffering from inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis
More questions about intestinal polyps and colonoscopy, such as the relationship between intestinal polyps and diet, symptoms that polyp patients should pay attention to, whether frequent diarrhea necessitates a colonoscopy, the cost of a colonoscopy, and other related information, are of reference value for the general public concerned about intestinal health.
