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Chapters

0:00 Introduction
2:24 Causes of Colorectal Polyps
3:13 Symptoms of Colorectal Polyps
3:45 Diagnosis of Colorectal Polyps
4:19 Treatment of Colorectal Polyps

A colorectal polyp is a polyp (fleshy growth) occurring on the lining of the colon or rectum.[1] Untreated colorectal polyps can develop into colorectal cancer.[2]


Colorectal polyps are often classified by their behaviour (i.e. benign vs. malignant) or cause (e.g. as a consequence of inflammatory bowel disease). They may be benign (e.g. hyperplastic polyp), pre-malignant (e.g. tubular adenoma) or malignant (e.g. colorectal adenocarcinoma).



Colorectal polyps are not usually associated with symptoms.[2] When they occur, symptoms include bloody stools; changes in frequency or consistency of stools, such as a week or more of constipation or diarrhoea;[3] and fatigue arising from blood loss.[2] Anemia arising from iron deficiency can also present due to chronic blood loss, even in the absence of bloody stools.[3][4] Another symptom might be increased mucous production especially those involving villous adenomas.[4] Copious production of mucous causes loss of potassium that can occasionally result in symptomatic hypokalemia.[4] Occasionally, if a polyp is big enough to cause a bowel obstruction, there may be nausea, vomiting and severe constipation.[3]