What are the next steps if I have adenoma and have multiple polyps in my rectum?

Doctor's Answers 2

Usually, Adenomatous polyps (adenomas) can be completely removed with the colonoscopy, so I presume that has been done. If it has not been done he should consider doing another colonoscopy to make sure all the polyps have been removed.

Let's say it has been removed. We look at the biopsy report to see if there are any worrying factors. If the report says that it is an adenoma, we actually subclassify it, basically, adenomas means that it is benign, non-cancerous.

But we know that adenomas have a theoretical possibility of evolving in time to become cancerous. But given that it has been removed, he has avoided this possibility. What is important is surveillance. Given that he has formed adenomas in his rectum, moving forward, he is at an increased risk of forming new adenomas. So typically, he may be asked by his doctor to repeat the colonoscopy, depending on what the biopsy shows.

Sometimes, they might say come back and do another one in 3 years. If the biopsy shows more worrying features, they might say to come back and repeat it in 1 year instead.

The other thing to know is that if you have polyps, you may want to tell your other family members that you have polyps because sometimes the tendency of developing other polyps run in families. So, if he has siblings or if his parents have never done a colonoscopy, it is worthwhile to do the screening.

Usually, Adenomatous polyps (adenomas) can be completely removed with the colonoscopy, so I presume that has been done. If it has not been done he should consider doing another colonoscopy to make sure all the polyps have been removed.

Let's say it has been removed. We look at the biopsy report to see if there are any worrying factors. If the report says that it is an adenoma, we actually subclassify it, basically, adenomas means that it is benign, non-cancerous.

But we know that adenomas have a theoretical possibility of evolving in time to become cancerous. But given that it has been removed, he has avoided this possibility. What is important is surveillance. Given that he has formed adenomas in his rectum, moving forward, he is at an increased risk of forming new adenomas. So typically, he may be asked by his doctor to repeat the colonoscopy, depending on what the biopsy shows.

Sometimes, they might say come back and do another one in 3 years. If the biopsy shows more worrying features, they might say to come back and repeat it in 1 year instead.

The other thing to know is that if you have polyps, you may want to tell your other family members that you have polyps because sometimes the tendency of developing other polyps run in families. So, if he has siblings or if his parents have never done a colonoscopy, it is worthwhile to do the screening.

Similar Questions

How often do doctors miss polyps on colonoscopies, and why does this happen?

It is not uncommon for doctors to miss polyps during a colonoscopy. There are no figures locally on how often this happens but these can be due to three main factors: Poor bowel preparation causing the polyp to be obscured by stools Small polyps behind the corners or folds of the colon, which are not visualized well during the colonoscopy Inexperienced endoscopist To find out more about getting a colonoscopy in Singapore, you can read my Complete Guide To Colonoscopies In Singapore (2018).

Photo of Dr Jason Lim

Answered By

Dr Jason Lim

Colorectal Surgeon

When should I see a doctor regarding rectum bleeding if I’m worried about colon cancer?

If you truly have reasons to worry about having colon cancer, please do not delay any longer. It is a well-known fact that survival is best when colon cancers are detected early. If you are 50yr and above or having a significant family history of colon cancer or you have a past history of colon polyps, you automatically fall into a higher risk group for having colon cancer. So many have made the mistake of assuming a benign cause of bleeding just because one has a past history of haemorrhoids. Such assumptions may result in unnecessary delay in making the right diagnosis.

Photo of Dr Wai Leong Quan

Answered By

Dr Wai Leong Quan

Gastroenterologist

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