Larger polyps might be removed during colonoscopy using special tools to remove the polyp and a small amount of the inner lining of the colon in a procedure called an endoscopic mucosal resection. Minimally invasive surgery (laparoscopic surgery).
The doctor will then send any removed polyps to a pathologist for a biopsy to see if cancer is present. If the biopsy reveals that cancer is present, then cancer specialists will outline a treatment plan for the person. Common treatments for colon cancer include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy.
If a polyp has cancerous cells, they will also biopsy nearby lymph nodes to determine if the cancer has spread or metastasized to other areas of the body. In this case radiation, chemotherapy or other therapies may be recommended. Colonoscopy screenings can be life saving!
For colon cancer, the overall 5-year relative survival rate for people is 63%. If the cancer is diagnosed at a localized stage, the survival rate is 91%. If the cancer has spread to surrounding tissues or organs and/or the regional lymph nodes, the 5-year relative survival rate is 72%.
The most important thing you should know is that having colon polyps does not mean you have colon cancer. In fact, most colon polyps don't progress to become cancerous.
Given enough time to grow and develop, some adenomatous polyps can spread into surrounding tissues and infiltrate the two highway systems of the body: the bloodstream and the lymph nodes. This ability to invade and spread, or metastasize, is how we define a cancer.
How long does it take for a polyp to turn into cancer? The growth and mutation of colon polyps into cancer is a slow process, taking an estimated 10 years on average.
How Long Does It Take A Polyp To Become Cancerous? Most polyps grow slowly and take from between 10 and 15 years to become cancerous.
Cancerous polyps tend to grow slowly. It is estimated that the polyp dwell time, the time needed for a small adenoma to transform into a cancer, may be on average 10 years (17).
Not all polyps pose a higher risk for colorectal cancer. But some colon cancers may start as polyps. So, the more polyps you have, the higher your cancer risk. Someone with just one or two small polyps is generally at lower risk of having or developing colon cancer than someone with three to nine, or more.
Now, as cells with mutations build up on the lining of your colon, they can form a small cluster that appears as a polyp. The polyp can enlarge, as mutated cells start growing faster and living longer. Eventually, in this all this activity, it's possible that a mutation takes a cancerous turn.
A gastroenterologist, the specialist who usually performs a colonoscopy, can't tell for certain if a colon polyp is precancerous or cancerous until it's removed and examined under a microscope.
Polyps do not usually turn into cancer. But if some types of polyps (called adenomas) are not removed, there's a chance they may eventually become cancerous. Doctors believe that most bowel cancers develop from adenoma polyps. But very few polyps will turn into cancer, and it takes many years for this to happen.
Cancer of the colon is a highly treatable and often curable disease when localized to the bowel. Surgery is the primary form of treatment and results in cure in approximately 50% of patients. However, recurrence following surgery is a major problem and is often the ultimate cause of death.
Colonoscopies don't spread cancer
Regardless of what doctors may find during your colonoscopy, you can rest easy knowing that the procedure won't spread any cancer that may be present.
Polyps are benign, meaning that they're not cancer and they won't spread, but over time certain types can develop into cancer. One of these types is called adenomatous polyps. These are known as pre-cancerous polyps. Polyps bigger than 1 centimeter have a greater cancer risk than polyps under 1 centimeter.
Studies show that few smaller polyps are cancerous. As polyps slowly grow, however, the cancer risk rises. It's estimated that it takes about 10 years for cancer to form into a colorectal polyp.
If your doctor finds one or two polyps less than 0.4 inch (1 centimeter) in diameter, he or she may recommend a repeat colonoscopy in 7 to 10 years, depending on your other risk factors for colon cancer. Your doctor will recommend another colonoscopy sooner if you have: More than two polyps.
Smoking, obesity, diabetes, and inadequate exercise are risk factors for polyps, but many people with none of these risk factors have precancerous polyps in the colon. There are genetic risk factors for developing polyps as well.
Number and Size
Approximately 1% of polyps with a diameter less than 1 centimeter (cm) are cancerous. More than one polyp or a polyp that is 1 cm or bigger places you at higher risk for colon cancer. Up to 50% of polyps greater than 2 cm (about the diameter of a nickel) are cancerous.
Which Type of Cancer Spreads the Fastest? The fastest-moving cancers are pancreatic, brain, esophageal, liver, and skin. Pancreatic cancer is one of the most dangerous types of cancer because it's fast-moving and there's no method of early detection.
They can occur anywhere in the large intestine or rectum, but are more commonly found in the left colon, sigmoid colon, or rectum.
Polyps are common in American adults, and while many colon polyps are harmless, over time, some polyps could develop into colon cancer. While the majority of colon cancers start as polyps, only 5-10% of all polyps will become cancerous.
Villous Adenoma (Tubulovillous Adenoma)
This type of polyp carries a high risk of turning cancerous.