DEAR DR. GOTT: Please tell me what causes polyps in the colon. I had eleven removed in 2001 and now have to have a colon test every year. Every year I have at least two or three more new polyps removed. Am I at risk of colon cancer? I constantly worry that I am.
DEAR READER: Polyps are small growths that usually arise in the lining of the colon or sinuses. They are generally non-cancerous but rarely some types of polyps may be pre-malignant.
There is no clear cause for polyps except those associated with familial polyposis. This condition is caused by a mutated gene and therefore runs in families. These polyps have a high malignant potential and generally occur around puberty.
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