
Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions β written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Colon polyps natural history, complications and prognosis
Introduction
Overview
Overview
Colon polyps are very common in general population. They are usually found during screening colonoscopy. Polyps might grow gradually and cause symptoms including obstruction, bleeding, and changes in bowel habits. Some of them might progress to colorectal cancer. Therefore, it is advisable to resect all polyps that are found during colonoscopy and send the tissue biopsy for pathology. Prognosis of colon polyps is generally excellent. The presence of multiple polyps is associated with genetic disorders with a particularly poor prognosis.
Natural History, Complications, and Prognosis
Natural History, Complications, and Prognosis
Natural History
- Colon polyps are very common in general population.[1]
- They are usually found during screening colonoscopy.[2]
- Polyps might grow gradually and cause symptoms including obstruction, bleeding, and changes in bowel habits.
- Some of them might have malignant potential.
- If left untreated, it may progress to develop colorectal cancer. The progression from anΒ adenomatous polypΒ to colorectal cancer may take 10-15 years.Β
- All polyps are recommended to be resected.
Complications
- Gastrointestinal bleeding
- Bleeding following polypectomy
Prognosis
- Prognosis of colon polyps is generally excellent.[1]
- The presence of multiple polyps is associated with genetic disorders with a particularly poor prognosis.
- Colon polyps that are associated with BRAF and KRAS mutations have a poor prognosis.[4] This study also found no increase in mortality if 3 or more adenomas (RR = 1.4 [95% CI, 0.6 to 3.0]) or polyps larger than 1 cm
| Cancer cases after 13 years
% (n) |
Cancer incidence rates
(per 10β―000 person-years of observation) |
Cancer mortality compared to
persons with no adenoma (relative risk) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No adenoma
n = 94,248 |
< 0.1% (71) | 7.1 | NA |
| Nonadvanced adenoma
n = 65,650 |
< 0.1% (55) | 9.1 | 1.2
(95% CI, 0.5-2.7) |
| Advanced adenoma
n = 34,993 (β₯1 cm, high-grade dysplasia, or tubulovillous or villous histology) |
0.2% (70) | 20 | 2.6
(95% CI, 1.2-5.7) |
References
References
- β 1.0 1.1 Huang, Christopher S; Farraye, Francis A; Yang, Shi; O’Brien, Michael J (2010). “The Clinical Significance of Serrated Polyps”. The American Journal of Gastroenterology. 106 (2): 229β240. doi:10.1038/ajg.2010.429. ISSNΒ 0002-9270.
- β 2.0 2.1 Bonnington, Stewart N (2016). “Surveillance of colonic polyps: Are we getting it right?”. World Journal of Gastroenterology. 22 (6): 1925. doi:10.3748/wjg.v22.i6.1925. ISSNΒ 1007-9327.
- β Shussman, N.; Wexner, S. D. (2014). “Colorectal polyps and polyposis syndromes”. Gastroenterology Report. 2 (1): 1β15. doi:10.1093/gastro/got041. ISSNΒ 2052-0034.
- β Bettington, Mark; Walker, Neal; Clouston, Andrew; Brown, Ian; Leggett, Barbara; Whitehall, Vicki (2013). “The serrated pathway to colorectal carcinoma: current concepts and challenges”. Histopathology. 62 (3): 367β386. doi:10.1111/his.12055. ISSNΒ 0309-0167.
- β Click B, Pinsky PF, Hickey T, Doroudi M, Schoen RE (2018). “Association of Colonoscopy Adenoma Findings With Long-term Colorectal Cancer Incidence”. JAMA. 319 (19): 2021β2031. doi:10.1001/jama.2018.5809. PMIDΒ 29800214.
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Sadaf Sharfaei M.D.[2]

