Polyps of any type associated with increased risk of colon cancer

The risk of colorectal cancer may increase with any type of polyp in the colon, according to new research led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

The study examined data from 178,377 patients with colorectal polyps and found elevated colorectal cancer incidences among people with several different types of polyps—hyperplastic polyps, sessile serrated polyps, tubular adenomas, tubulovillous adenomas, and villous adenomas—when compared with a control group. Increased risk for colorectal-related death, however, was only observed in patients with sessile serrated polyps, tubulovillous adenomas, or villous adenomas.

Lead author of the study, Mingyang Song, assistant professor of clinical epidemiology and nutrition, said in an April 1, 20202 Medscape article that the findings suggest that “more intense surveillance may be considered for individuals with villous adenomas and sessile serrated polyps.”

Read the Medscape article: Any Type of Polyp Increases the Risk for Colorectal Cancer