Colon Polyps

[beth0277]

I had a colonoscopy a few months ago and they found a small polyp. I thought I was a bit young for that (27) but my dad died of colon cancer so I was glad that it was caught early. It was benign, but it was the type that can turn into cancer. I have to go for another colonoscopy in 3 years and if it is clear, it will be every 5 years.

My concern is that I had a sigmoidoscopy & barium enema 13 months before that which was all clear. I thought that polyps took a long time to form, so I am afraid maybe it was a "fast growing" polyp since it was only a year later. The doctor did say it was small, so I guess it could have been missed on the other tests.

Does anyone know anything about polyps or have any input? I am trying hard not to Google!

[Darwin73]

A sigmoidoscopy only examines the lower part of the colon, whereas a colonoscopy is used to look at both the upper and lower parts. It could simply be that your polyp was situated in the upper colon and so was missed by the sigmoidoscopy, which would not have detected anything awry in the upper part. The docs are monitoring you which is great.

[beth0277]

Right...but I also had the barium enema, which is supposed to view the other part of the colon, as I understand it. I know the doctor said my polyp was very small, so there is a chance it was just missed on the earlier tests, but it still makes me nervous!

[PanchoGoz]

Consider a polyp as just a wart in your belly is what my lady said when I had to have a scan a few year back. Its likely that when you are scanned for some reason, something will show up, whether its dangerous or not. My polyps never changed and shall remain in my galbladder for years to come :)

[countrygirl]

A barium enema cannot detect small polyps so yours would not have shown up on that test the year before. Barium fills the colon and this shows up on xray but one tiny tiny blip would not be visible - only polyps over a certain size show up on barium xrays. So you could very easily have had this polyp for quite a long time and this is why colonoscopy is the best method of looking at your colon as they see even the tiniest thing.

On the upside, you will be monitered for the rest of your life and any polyps will be removed before they become cancerous. This is much better than you not knowing you have inherited the polyp problem.