Benign tumors (polyps) in the colon can cause changes in bowel habits, abdominal cramps, anemia, and bleeding.
Colon polyps are protruding tumors in the colon and rectum, formed by excessive proliferation of the colon and rectum mucosa.
Dr. Bui Quang Thach, Department of Gastroenterology, Tam Anh General Hospital, Hanoi, said that the colon can have many polyp-like protrusions but are not polyps such as myomas, lipomas, etc. Most colon polyps are hyperplastic polyps and inflammatory polyps, which are all benign tumors. Adenomatous polyps and villous polyps have a high risk of developing into malignancy after many years. Those larger than one centimeter in size that are not treated can also develop into colon cancer.
According to Dr. Thach, most cases of colon polyps do not cause symptoms and may not be detected without a screening endoscopy. Some symptoms can be easily confused with other digestive problems. Patients should seek a specialist examination when their body shows some of the following signs.
Change in bowel habits : If constipation or diarrhea persists for an unknown reason, it may be due to colon polyps or large polyps. Large or ulcerated polyps in the lower rectum near the anus cause irritable bowel symptoms such as frequent loose stools, cramps, and urge to defecate, which can easily be misdiagnosed as dysentery.
Abdominal pain, nausea or vomiting : Large polyps can cause partial or complete intestinal obstruction, abdominal cramps, accompanied by vomiting or nausea, and constipation (intestinal obstruction).
Change in stool color: Some foods, supplements, and medications can change the color of your stool. Stools with an unusual fishy odor accompanied by blood streaks, fresh blood on the stool, or mucus with dark brown blood are warning signs. Some cases of bleeding are not visible to the naked eye, but require microscopic examination or testing for red blood cells in the stool.
Rectal bleeding : This is a sign when the polyp is large in the rectum and becomes severe. The patient may see blood on underwear or toilet paper, which can be easily confused with hemorrhoids or anal fissures.
Iron deficiency anemia : Bleeding from polyps that occurs silently over a long period of time causes anemia. Chronic bleeding leads to iron deficiency, causing the body to not produce enough hemoglobin, reducing the number of red blood cells that carry oxygen to the organs. The patient is often tired, pale, and has difficulty breathing.
Large colon polyps can cause intestinal obstruction and abdominal cramps. Photo: Freepik
According to Dr. Thach, colon polyps tend to develop slowly. The cause has not yet been determined. People at risk include those aged 45 and older; those with a family history of colon polyps or colon cancer; those who smoke, drink alcohol; those who are obese, sedentary, or have an unbalanced diet. Genetic disorders such as familial polyposis syndrome, Lynch syndrome, juvenile polyposis, Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, etc. are at high risk of causing the disease.
After detecting colon polyps, suspected of being precancerous, the doctor will monitor and treat them by cutting or separating the mucosa through colonoscopy to remove the entire tumor, preventing malignant lesions. If dysplastic tissues (abnormalities due to excessive cell proliferation) are not completely removed, they can progress to cancer more quickly.
Patients who have had polyps removed need regular check-ups to monitor the disease. The timing and frequency of testing depends on the number, size, analysis results, and a combination of other risk factors.
Dr. Thach added that if the first colonoscopy shows no polyps or there are adenomatous polyps or serrated polyps but the number is less than three and the size is more than 10 mm, the next colonoscopy will be 5 years later to completely remove the polyps.
If the first endoscopy shows three or more glandular polyps (glandular polyps 10 mm or larger, villous or tubular polyps), serrated polyps... a repeat endoscopy is needed after three years.
If there are more than 5 adenomatous polyps after the first endoscopy, the next endoscopy should be performed one year after the removal. If the preparation for the first endoscopy is not clean, the patient can perform it earlier than the above time points. Normal people from 45 to 50 years old should have a colonoscopy to prevent the risk of polyps.
Trinh Mai
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