Colorectal Polyps
in Denver

This can depend on your specific risk factors as well as the nature of any polyps found during your screening. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends colonoscopy screening every 10 years for adults 45-75 years old, but our experts may recommend more frequent screening if any concerns are found. Also if you have a family history of colorectal polyps or cancer, you may need to be screened earlier and more frequent. Your South Denver GI doctor can give you the best idea of when to return for your next screening at our Castle Rock Endoscopy Center, South Denver Endoscopy Center or Ridgeview Endoscopy Center.

The inside lining of the gastrointestinal tract regularly regenerates new cells. In some cases, a fast-growing cluster of cells may develop called a polyp. Some risk factors for polyps include smoking and alcohol use, family history, inflammatory bowel diseases, age and a lifestyle that includes low amounts of exercise and high fat intake.

Some large or protruding polyps can impact bowel movements. If you notice a persistent change in your bowel habits (such as constipation or diarrhea), we recommend you schedule a consultation at our Lone Tree, Englewood, Parker or Castle Rock clinics to meet with our team of doctors. A colonoscopy screening at our Denver area endoscopy offices can confirm and remove any problematic polyps.

If your doctor observes any concerning polyps during a colonoscopy at our three Denver area endoscopy centers, they will be removed, or sampled if too large to be removed safely endoscopically. Generally your South Denver gastroenterologist will be able to explain in recovery if the polyps appear benign. unless polyps , a biopsy can be performed during the same procedure by removing some or all of the polyp. The tissue will then be assessed for any cancerous cells by our expert GI pathologists. You'll receive your biopsy results from our pathology team within 1-2 weeks.

It's still unclear what exactly causes polyps and how to prevent them, but you can reduce your risk factors by eating a fiber-rich diet, exercising regularly and avoiding alcohol and smoking. You can also reduce your risk of colorectal cancer by undergoing regular colonoscopy screening at our South Denver endoscopy centers.

Polyps are very common, affecting about 2 in 4 adults. While most polyps are not harmful, some will eventually develop into cancer. Removing polyps via colonoscopy therefore prevents colorectal cancer by interrupting the natural history of cancer formation. and do not become cancerous. Still, there is a small risk of polyps developing into cancer and they should be checked regularly during a Routine colonoscopy screening at our Ridgeview Endoscopy Center, Castle Rock Endoscopy Center or South Denver Endoscopy Center is the best approach to detect and remove polyps and prevent colorectal cancer.

The majority of colon polyps do not become cancerous and can simply be removed or monitored during a colonoscopy screening at our Ridgeview, Castle Rock and South Denver endoscopy centers. Undergoing regular colonoscopy screening is the best way to ensure any concerning or precancerous polyps can be treated promptly by our experts.

Polyps are often slow growing and it can take several years for a polyp to become cancerous u2013 as many as 10 years. With regular colonoscopy screenings at our endoscopy centers, the South Denver GI gastroenterologists can monitor for polyp development and remove them promptly while still in the benign or precancerous stages. Using this protocol, the survival rate of colorectal cancer detected at the localized stage is very high.

Polyps can occur all throughout the gastrointestinal tract, but are most commonly found in the colon and rectum. They can develop into colorectal cancer and should be screened through a colonoscopy at our South Denver Endoscopy Center, Ridgeview Endoscopy Center or Castle Rock Endoscopy Center.