Cases of colon cancer without polyps are very rare.
The link between colon polyps and colon cancer is pretty clear in the medical community. Colon polyps can eventually lead to colon cancer, which is why early screening is so critical. But instances of colon cancer developing without first appearing as polyps are very rare. Colon cancer without polyps is not something a typical person should worry about.
Colon cancer that does not stem from the development of polyps generally occurs in people with a pre-existing condition such as inflammatory bowel disease or Crohn’s disease. For more, watch Dr. Jeffrey Weber in the video below:
Jeffrey Weber MD: Colon cancer arising from the lining of the colon without a previous polyp formation in that area is extremely unusual.
Colon cancer arising in a situation where there is absolutely no history of polyp only occurs in people with inflammatory bowel disease such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease. These are fairly common diseases and are generally followed by physicians and in particular by gastroenterologists and those people need screening on a very frequent basis as those cancers arise, as I said, from the lining itself and not from polyps, so they are harder to find, harder to see and they are very much more aggressive. This is a situation which does not apply to the general population. Nearly 100% of colon cancers in the general population, in other words those who do not have inflammatory bowel diseases, arise from polyps.
Latest posts by Dr. Jeffrey Weber (see all)
- The Risks of Colonoscopy - January 1, 1970
- Can I Get Colon Cancer Without Polyps? - January 1, 1970
- What Should I Know About Colon Polyps? - January 1, 1970
