The second highest mortality for cancer in the United States with 55,000 deaths in 1995 and 138,000 new cases. Inherited colon cancers often develop in patients in early ages, often under the age of 40, and often on the right side of the colon. In certain high-risk subgroups of patients with family history of cancer, surveillance is recommended with periodic colon examinations and for patients with either prior polyps or cancers. Preventive screening has now been shown to be beneficial and a lower mortality and has now been recommended by the U.S. Preventive Task Force, the American Cancer Society, the World Health Organization and the American Gastroenterology Association. Adenomatous polyp is a premalignant growth within the colon which may progress into malignant degeneration, but not in every case.
Hyperplastic polyp is a growth in the colon that has no premalignant potential.
Villous polyp is a premalignant growth with a high incidence of malignant potential and higher malignant potential than a comparable size adenomatous polyp. Sessile polyp is a flat polyp. Polypectomy is a removal of a polyp with a snare utilizing the colonoscope. Biopsy is removal of a piece o the colon such as a polyp for histologic analysis. Cautery is a coagulation of a polyp for ablation or to stop the bleeding.