My answer would be yes. My mother has an colonscopy every year and except for this year has had one or two removed. Her doctor asked her if I had started having colonscopies because of the increased risk of colon cancer due to her condition. I had my first one this year and had a polyp removed. Better safe than sorry.

Are you sure a harmless polyp increases the risk?  I have been searching the internet for a good hour, and all I can come up with are quotes like "People with a family history of colon cancer are at higher risk of developing the disease than people in the general population."  None seem to actually mention polyps.  Just sounded like perhaps you were guessing a little, in your post.  I'm a nervous person, I just can't help it =)

I just asked my surgeon this question (colon and rectal specialist) who took out my gallbladder in July.  

My Dad started having polyps removed when he was seven years old (that would be 52 years ago) and has had them removed a number of times since then.  My grandmother (father's mother) had to have rectal surgery for a fistula when she was in her twenties (that would be somwhere around 55+ years ago).

I was concerned about family history and asked my doctor (in my mind I related it the same way as breast cancer).  He took quite some time and explained to me that I do not need to have a colonoscopy done before the age of 40.  He went into a very lengthy explaination of family history, the family history actually being cancerous cells, and the number of people in your family (and at what close relation they need to be) before you need to have your colonoscopy earlier than 40.

I would suggest that you make an appointment armed with your family history and ask a doctor.  I know that I was quite anxious about my family's history before my doctor explained all the variables.  I know we never have a guarantee that it can't happen to us, but he definately reassured me and helped calm me down.  For some reason it seems when you hit your 30s is when your family finally starts telling you about their health history - or maybe that's when we begin to ask.

Good luck.

Thanks for the reply, very helpful.  I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow, so I am set =)

BEST OF LUCK!

BEST OF LUCK!