How worried to be about bowel polyps?

[tobyj]

This is about DM rather than me. She recently had a colonoscopy after a couple of years of gastric symptoms (bloating, nausea) plus some blood in the stool, and they found a number of polyps. They removed five small ones there and then, but also found a larger one low down in the rectum which was too big to take out during the colonoscopy (15mm). She's having surgery to remove it in a few weeks' time.

I'm not sure how worried to be. DM says the doctors have all been very laid back, saying it's all fine be and very common, and that the only reason they're taking the larger one out is 'in case it causes problems in the future'. But she hasn't had the histology reports back yet on the five they've removed, and when I look online it says that, although polyps are generally pre-cancerous at worst, the chances of them being cancerous are higher if there are more than one or two polyps, and/or if they're large. Also, she has MCI so may be slightly misrepresenting what the doctors have said.

Anyone got any experience with this?

My dad had several polyps removed during a colonoscopy and they were all benign. The Dr said they are very common but can rarely turn cancerous after several years

I wouldn't be worried. I had an unusually large one causing havoc in my 20s which was removed. I cried when they told me they'd found one as I thought it was super bad and they looked at me like I had 2 heads as to them it's a total non-event😂(which I realise now!) I have colonoscopies every 5 years in case I get more so that they can be removed, hut nothing so far, a decade later.

My dad has about 5 or 6 removed every year, again no issues.

I would not be concerned. The 15mm polyp probably was in an awkward position, which is why it wasn't removed during the colonoscopy. Polyps are very slow growing and once it has been removed she'll have colonoscopies every 2-3 years. The removed polyps will also be checked for (pre-) cancerous cells.

Your mum should make sure she eats a diet rich in fibre and low in processed foods.

My mil had a large one removed a couple of years ago and all was fine, try not to worry. It's good they have caught and removed them all and they will probably repeat colonoscopy in a few years to check to see if anymore have appeared.

Both my DH and a friend have recently had polyps removed from their bowels and they both had them sent off for biopsies but the surgeons each time were pretty sure they were benign just from what they looked like.

Thanks all, that's really reassuring.

Both my DH and a friend have recently had polyps removed from their bowels and they both had them sent off for biopsies but the surgeons each time were pretty sure they were benign just from what they looked like.

This.
I was told by a gastroenterologist that the experienced ones can nearly always tell visually when a polyp is pre-cancerous (or cancerous) but they don't inform the patient until the actual pathology results are in. This particular doctor said he had only been mistaken once, when a polyp had cancerous cells deep inside.
I'm hoping that DM's report that the doctors have seemed laid back reflects their observations and that the final definitive lab results will be negative.

Try not to worry which is easier said than done. It is good they have been removed by colonoscopy though for peace of mind.

I had 5 out last year - 2 colonoscopies

I have another colonoscopy this week .

Always good for them to be removed

I have extra colon screening for life

My grandad died of bowel cancer

One of my polyps removed was sessile serated

One was very large.

6 monthly qfit tests are good 4 people with lotsa polyps in past

Fibre rich diet

Limit processed foods - stop burgers , sausages etc

Yoghurt is very good in the colon polyp fight

Tomatoes = anti cancer