SSAT Patient Care Guidelines

Excerpt

Polyps of the colon are mucosal lesions, which project into the lumen of the bowel. According to autopsy studies, colonic polyps occur in more than 30% of people over the age of 60. Approximately 70–80% of resected polyps are adenomatous. Adenomatous lesions have a well-documented relationship to colorectal cancer. This adenoma–carcinoma progression represents a significant public health problem, as colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-specific mortality in the United States. Therefore, appropriate management of colonic polyps may reduce the risk of death from colorectal cancer. …