Why do colon polyps cause bleeding

If you experience unintentional weight loss in conjunction with some of the other symptoms mentioned above, this should be of concern. If you are over 50, drink alcohol to excess, smoke, or do not get sufficient exercise, you can be at a higher risk to develop a cancerous polyp. African Americans are at a high risk as are those who are obese or have uncontrolled Type 2 diabetes.

The American Cancer Society tells us that more young adults are being diagnosed with colon cancer. For that reason, the recommendation has changed to begin colorectal screenings from age 50 to age Regular screenings can catch small polyps before they large and likely cancerous. Have regular screenings, recognize the symptoms, and contact Digestive Health Services at if you have any questions or concerns about your colorectal health.

Posted by Digestive Health Services. It involves several steps, starting with dietary changes around one week…. A pelvic laparoscopy is a commonly employed surgical procedure. It can help detect endometriosis, cervical cancer, and other conditions. It can also…. For a couple of days after the procedure, people will need….

Bladder polyps occur when abnormal cells grow in the bladder. Polyps can have no symptoms, though some people have symptoms similar to a urinary tract…. What to know about colon polyps.

Medically reviewed by Saurabh Sethi, M. Types Symptoms Causes Risk factors Diagnosis Treatment Prevention Outlook A colon polyp is a small growth of tissue that projects from the lining of a section of the large intestine known as the colon. Types of colon polyps. Share on Pinterest A colon polyp is a growth that develops in the large intestine. Share on Pinterest Eating a lot of red meat may increase the risk of colon polyps.

Risk factors. Share on Pinterest Doctors will usually recommend surgery to remove polyps. Latest news Scientists identify new cause of vascular injury in type 2 diabetes.

Adolescent depression: Could school screening help? Related Coverage. What to know about hemorrhoids. Medically reviewed by University of Illinois. How should you prepare for a colonoscopy? Medically reviewed by Mikhail Yakubov, MD. Everything you need to know about laparoscopy. Medically reviewed by Stacy Sampson, D. Foods you can eat after a colonoscopy. The differential diagnosis for this problem includes hemorrhoids, solitary rectal ulcer, diverticular bleeding, angiodysplasia, and proctitis.

Because the most serious cause is malignancy, colonoscopy often is recommended, although the usefulness of the study in this situation is unclear.

Lieberman reviewed the potential management strategies for patients with minor rectal bleeding. Careful history alone can be useful if the pre-test likelihood of malignancy is extremely low. The latter may be true in persons younger than 40 years with no family history of colorectal cancer. Colonoscopy may reveal some other important pathology such as colitis or solitary ulcer, but these patients often have additional symptoms.

Patients with significant bleeding or a family history of colorectal cancer should have colonoscopy. Anoscopy can identify hemorrhoids and anal fissures, but the common nature of these problems does not eliminate the possibility of an additional pathology that might actually be responsible for the rectal bleeding. Flexible sigmoidoscopy may be useful in patients younger than 40 years, because most lesions in this age group are located in the distal colon, but efficacy is lower in older patients.

In persons 40 to 59 years of age, the prevalence rate of colorectal cancer increases, and colon evaluation should be performed in patients with rectal bleeding. Colonoscopy is the best test because barium or computed tomography imaging can miss significant colon pathology and subtle mucosal lesions.

Small colonic polyps under 10 mm in diameter are commonly found. Most are adenomas, with lesions in the right colon more likely to be neoplastic than those in the left colon. Small polyps in the distal colon are equally likely to be adenomatous or hyperplastic polyps. The presence of distal adenomas increases the risk of proximal advanced neoplasias. Although small-polyp risk for high-grade dysplasia or cancer is less than 0. Care of patients with small distal polyps may include no further evaluation if the polyp is hyperplastic.

If the polyp is an adenoma, colonoscopy may be appropriate, especially if risk factors for colorectal cancer are present, although advanced proximal neoplasia risk in patients younger than 59 years is low.