Colon Polyps Types

Colon Polyps Types

Colon polyp is an extra tissue that grows in your large intestine or colon. You may have more than one colon polyp in your colon. These are usually benign in nature but in some cases they turn malignant leading to colon cancer. The symptoms of the presence of colon polyps include rectal bleeding, blood in your stool, constipation or diarrhea, abdominal pain and obstruction of your bowel. It is very important to get yourself examined by a doctor who will instruct you with regard to the associated tests that you need to get done. Your doctor will also prescribe a treatment plan.

Hyperplastic Polyp

Amongst all the colon polyps types, hyperplastic polyps are the smallest in size. They are usually benign and have very low risk of turning malignant. A hyperplastic polyp occurs in the end part of the large intestine which is the rectum. The cells are highly active and keep on reproducing in the case of a hyperplastic polyp. These polyps cannot be identified during a colonoscopy and have to be sent for biopsy in order to determine if they are cancerous.

Tubular Adenoma or Adenomatous Polyp

Adenomatous polyp is one of the most common colon polyps types. Seventy percent of polyps removed are found to be in this category. Adenomatous polyps carry a risk of becoming cancerous. These polyps keep growing for years. The larger the polyp the higher is its tendency to become cancerous. There are no symptoms attached to this colon polyps type, so tests should be done at regular intervals if you have a history of a adenomatous polyp. Early detection can decrease the risk of colon cancer since the polyp can be removed before it grows any further.

Villous Adenoma or Tubulovillous Adenoma

When compared to different colon polyps types, this specific polyp tend to grow large in size thereby it is at a higher risk of becoming cancerous. Fifteen percent of the polyps removed happen to be this type. These are usually flat in shape and soft making it almost unidentifiable during a rectal examination. These polyps are usually attached to the lining of the colon wall and are quite difficult to remove. They have to be surgically removed and thorough check ups are important post surgery.

Inflammatory Polyp

Inflammatory polyps are correlated with inflammatory conditions of the colon such as Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative Colitis. It consists of an inflamed tissue on the bowel wall. An important characteristic of this colon polyps type is that it generally does not become malignant and has a lesser risk of progressing into colon cancer. They are also called false polyps as they are formed as a result of an inflammatory condition of the colon.

The most reliable method of detecting a polyp is colonoscopy as the doctor is able to examine the colon with the help of a CCD camera or a fiber optic camera. At the initial stage, none of the polyps are cancerous. They tend to grow bigger over a period of time. So if they are removed early then there is a very low percentage of risk involved.

Keeping your colon clean and healthy lowers the risk of colon cancer. This can be done by proper colon cleansing so your colon is kept in good condition.