[hannahb]

I had a colonoscopy when I was going through the diagnosis process for IBS. During the procedure, 2 polyps were found. They both were adenomas (the kind that can turn into cancer) and one was quite large. My MD was basically shocked and said had those not been found, I would probably have been dealing with cancer in 3-5 years. Besides the polyps, several scrapings showed a mild, non-specific colitis in my colon the "significance of which was not clear". I have been treating the IBS and have been doing well, but will have to be re-checked for polyps in 3 years. Has this happened to anyone else? I know IBS itself doesn't mean a higher risk of cancer, and polyps can be a sign of something wrong somewhere else in the body. P.S., I am only 29.

 

[Kathleen M.]

Colon polyps may or may not become cancer. It is not true that every single polyp turns cancerous in a few years, but some will and some are a bit more prone than others. However, that you had a couple a a young age means you should get checked again in the time frame your doctor suggested. For the most part every human will get some colon polyps if only they live long enough. Most people get them after 50, but you do sometimes get one or two earlier than that. However anything before 50 is quite rare.The usually 29 year old they worry about is from a family where half the the poeple have hundreds of polyps by 29, not just two.But if you had even one, they check sooner to see if you get another one. Some people are a bit more prone but if we are talking 2 not 2 hundred you don't have the familial polyp disease.When you have a hundred or more polyps usually at least one will become cancer so people with the polyp disease often get colon cancer much earlier than the rest of the population because they usually have hundreds that start in their teens so by 40 at least one has gone bad.There is some evidence that taking calcium supplements may reduce recurrance and if you can eat a diet with 5 servings of fruits or vegetables a day (even if you have to cook them) that can help. Also if you do eat meat, you are better off cooking slow at low temps rather than searing it at higher temperatures. Sauces made with the pan drippings can also be high in some bad compounds that happen in high temp meat cooking, also you can marinate meat to help reduce the amount of these potentially carcinogenic compounds made.

 

[rckclmbr]

I know this thread is a little old but I wanted to write to let you know you aren't alone! My mom had a benign polyp in her mid-50s and a precancerous polyp at 60 ... and our family has had no other colon polyp / cancer issues .... and I'm 28.Therefore, I was really, REALLY shocked when I had to have a colonoscopy to check for Crohn's / colitis / C Diff and some other stuff and they found an adenoma.When other doctors / nurses find out, they all make a huge deal about how young I am and how I'm lucky I had it removed or I could have been dead in a few years, but I think that is because most people don't quite understand that not all precancerous polyps will ever turn into cancer. Mine was described as a "low risk adenoma" ... But I hate it when I have to mention it at other doctor appointments (with non-GI docs) because they always freak me out with their reactions!Anyway ... I'm glad they found yours and removed them. I know it's a little scary to have had them at our age, but I'm also grateful to have had it discovered because now we can get checked regularly and be okay.