| Re: How long do polyps take to turn in cancer?
Colonoscopies are not fool proof. A small percentage of polyps are sometimes missed due to incomplete patient preparation,or being very small and hidden in a fold of the colon or being a flat polyp rather than on a stalk or the MD not taking sufficient time to do a thorough examination as the colonoscope is removed too quickly.
Normally a colon cancer can take from 7 to 10 years to develop from a polyp. That is why the recommendation for colonoscopy is every 10 years, unless there is a prior family history.
However, with Lynch Syndrome (HNPCC) due to a genetic mutation a colon cancer can develop in as little as 1 to 2 years. That is why those of us with Lynch Syndrome go for colonoscopies on a yearly basis to catch any polyps before they can develop into/or are still tiny cancers. If your wife is age 60 or younger and/or has relatives that have had endometrial, ovarian, colon, gastric, renal pelvis or brain cancer to consider meeting with a geneticist to discuss the possibility that her cancer may be hereditary in nature. If it seems likely, it is important to undergo the testing as the mutation is a dominant one and can affect direct relatives, parents, children and siblings, in addition to putting the person at risk for other Lynch related cancers or a second colon cancer.
Leslie
Lynch Syndrome PMS2 mutation
2003 Colon Cancer Stage III
1995 Endometrial Cancer Stage I
Last edited by LESLIETOO; 04-19-2011 at 12:35 PM.
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