Which polyps on the body may turn into cancer and which are harmless? Should polyps be removed? Doctors suggest: Specific problems require specific analysis

Which polyps on the body may turn into cancer and which ones are harmless? Should polyps be removed? Doctors suggest: specific problems require specific analysis. Let's learn together...

1. Will all polyps turn into cancer?

The word "polyp" often appears in many people's physical examination reports, including: gastrointestinal polyps, gallbladder polyps, nasal polyps, cervical polyps, endometrial polyps...

Polyps are abnormal growths of tissue protruding from the mucosal surface. Before the pathological nature is determined, they are collectively referred to as polyps. Wherever there is mucosa in the human body, there is a possibility that polyps will grow.

Please don’t panic if you encounter “polyps” because not all polyps will turn into cancer.

2. What factors influence the risk of polyps becoming cancerous?

Whether a polyp becomes cancerous is related to factors such as the size, type, shape, number, and location of the polyp.

Generally speaking, the larger the polyp, the higher the chance of canceration. Adenomatous polyps have a high canceration rate, while hyperplastic polyps have a very low canceration rate.

Studies have shown that the cause of polyps is related to chronic stimulation of inflammation in addition to genetic factors. Irregular diet, smoking, alcoholism, staying up late, eating spicy and high-fat foods, sitting for a long time and other bad living habits, as well as the stimulation of basic gastrointestinal lesions, are all related to the occurrence of polyps and even cancer.

3. This type of polyp is almost 100% likely to turn into cancer! If you find it, you must remove it, it is especially dangerous!

Colorectal polyps are mainly divided into two types: inflammatory and adenomatous. Inflammatory polyps can disappear on their own after the inflammation is cured, while adenomatous polyps generally do not disappear on their own and have a tendency to become malignant.

Why is early detection of colon cancer important?

Famous people we are familiar with who died of colorectal cancer include: Wang Junyao, President of McDonald's China, actress Audrey Hepburn, CCTV anchor Xiao Xiaolin, actor Li Ding, business son Zhu Jiading, and Chadwick Boseman, the star of the movie "Black Panther". They all died of colorectal cancer... Ms. Zheng Xiaoying, the symphony conductor who is still active on the podium at the age of 92, is full of health and vitality. In fact, she was also diagnosed with colorectal cancer when she was 68 years old.

In 2020, more than 550,000 people in my country were newly diagnosed with colorectal cancer, accounting for 12.2% of the number of newly diagnosed cancers in China. my country has become the country with the highest number of new cases and deaths from colorectal cancer each year in the world. Colorectal cancer seriously affects and threatens the health of Chinese residents.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common malignant tumor in the world. It usually evolves through the "adenoma-carcinoma" development pattern. Early detection and timely treatment of colorectal polyps, especially adenomatous polyps, can significantly reduce the incidence of colorectal cancer.

Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is a group of autosomal dominant syndromes characterized by multiple colorectal adenomas. If not treated actively, almost all patients will develop colorectal cancer (about 50% at the age of 20 and about 90% at the age of 45), accounting for 1% of all colorectal cancers.

The clinical manifestations of FAP include abdominal pain, diarrhea, and bloody and mucous stools.

People at high risk of FAP (all relatives, especially first-degree relatives) usually need to undergo annual colonoscopy starting at age 10 to 15 years until age 35 years, and then every 3 years.

People with a family history of gastrointestinal cancer must be alert to FAP.

Auxiliary CT and MRI are not recommended as intestinal tumor screening methods. When they can detect tumors, the tumor stage will be relatively late. However, they are very important for the preoperative staging of intestinal cancer.

Colonoscopy - the gold standard for detecting intestinal diseases!

Once colonoscopy finds polyps or small tumors in the intestine, they can be removed immediately and a biopsy can be taken to determine whether they are malignant tumors.

Doctor's reminder:

1. Regular colonoscopy examinations for high-risk groups can effectively prevent the occurrence of colorectal cancer!

2. Reduce the dietary structure of "three highs and one low", namely high fat, high protein, high calories and low fiber.

3. To ensure smooth bowel movements, drink no less than 1500 ml of water every day, which helps promote intestinal peristalsis.

4. Exercise actively and avoid sitting for long periods of time.

5. 65%-75% of polyps will recur or form new polyps after removal and need to be removed again. Villous adenomas, serrated adenomas and high-grade epithelial neoplasia polyps are prone to recurrence and canceration. It is recommended to have a colonoscopy every 3-6 months.

4. How to deal with polyps in different parts of the body?

Whether polyps in the body need to be removed depends on specific analysis of the specific problem.

1. Gastric polyps:

Pathologically, gastric polyps can be divided into hyperplastic polyps, fundic gland polyps, inflammatory polyps and adenomatous polyps.

Among them, hyperplastic polyps are more common, with a significantly higher incidence in women than in men and increasing with age.

Although most polyps are benign tumors with a good prognosis, some gastric polyps still have the risk of becoming malignant and can further develop into gastric cancer.

The most effective way to detect gastric polyps is gastroscopy.

Endoscopic resection is the first choice for the treatment of gastric polyps. Endoscopic treatment of polyps is simple, less invasive, and low-cost. Most of them are one-time treatments, while a few require multiple resections.

Gastric polyps - People over 45 years old should undergo regular fecal occult blood and gastroscopy examinations.

Adenomatous polyp treatment and follow-up:

Resection and eradication of Helicobacter pylori are recommended.

Polyps suspected of or already cancerous and polyps with a diameter greater than 2 cm, regardless of the number, type, or presence or absence of pedicles, must be removed to reduce the incidence of gastric cancer. Polyps should be sent for pathological examination.

2. Nasal polyps:

Symptoms of nasal polyps include nasal congestion, excessive mucus, olfactory dysfunction and headache, and they usually do not become cancerous.

If the symptoms of nasal polyps are obvious and medical treatment is ineffective or if there are multiple large polyps, endoscopic nasal polypectomy can be chosen.

3. Vocal cord polyps:

The cause may be related to long-term improper phonation, long-term adverse stimulation or chronic inflammation, which can easily lead to hoarseness or even obvious dysphonia.

The most easily exposed is vocal cord polyps, which can cause hoarseness when they are as small as sesame or mung beans. If they are detected early, you can go to the hospital for a fiberoptic laryngoscopy to confirm the diagnosis and perform surgery to remove them if necessary.

4. Gallbladder polyps:

Causes include:

Poor cholesterol metabolism, chronic inflammation, and age factors

Other factors:

Factors such as improper diet, lack of exercise, and emotional state may increase the risk of disease.

Generally speaking, gallbladder polyps are mostly benign lesions. However, you should be highly vigilant about single gallbladder polyps because they have a certain possibility of becoming cancerous.

• The maximum diameter of the polyp is greater than or equal to 1 cm, especially a single polyp; • The maximum diameter of the polyp is less than or equal to 1 cm, but it grows rapidly in a short period of time; • Gallbladder polyps combined with chronic cholecystitis.

Ultrasound: Ultrasound is the most convenient and effective method for examining gallbladder polyps.

People over 40 years old should have regular abdominal ultrasound. It is recommended to eat regularly and eat less high-fat and high-cholesterol foods, such as animal offal and fried foods.

5. Cervical polyps: Women over 45 should be alert

Cervical polyps are often found during gynecological examinations. Most cervical polyps are benign lesions, but they may also become cancerous.

Women over 45 years old, especially those who suffer from cervical polyps before and after menopause, should have the polyps removed promptly and sent for pathological examination. If there are signs of malignancy, treatment measures should be taken as soon as possible.

Married women should undergo a gynecological examination at least once a year, including gynecological color ultrasound, cervical cancer screening, etc.; women who do not have sex can have a gynecological B-ultrasound once every 1 to 2 years.