Polyps in the colon can be broadly classified as pre-cancerous polyps or polyps without cancer potential. The polyps are seen during colonoscopy. Your endoscopist will look at the polyp and magnify the scope to visualise the surface characteristics of the polyp. If all the features are consistent with a polyp which has no cancer potential, it can be left alone. If the polyp looks like a pre-cancerous polyp, your endoscopist will remove it whenever possible. If your endoscopist is unsure, the polyp is removed for confirmation.
Sometimes, the colonic polyp may be too large to safely remove during colonoscopy. That is rare but if that happens, your endoscopist will assess to see if it can be removed by specialised endoscopy equipment or surgery. Generally, more than 99% of colonic polyps can be safely removed during a colonoscopy.
