Colon polyp in young person

[JLE91]

Need opinion:

I am a 31 year old who just recently had a complete colonoscopy to evaluate a tiny amount of blood after one bowel movement.  Doctor found mild, internal hemorroids (hemorrhoids) and said this was likely the cause.  He also did find a very small (3mm) rectal polyp which he removed and send to lab of course.  He expects it to be benign, but wants to be sure.  However, I can't seem to find any information that talks about people my age who have had a polyp.  Is this because they don't occur or because most people my age in general do not undergo colonoscopy screenings and therefore would never know they may exist?  Everything is about people over 40 or 50 having polyps.  Doesn't it seem somewhat reasonable though that if a 50 year old is found to have a polyp or two that maybe they have been growing there for the last 20 years, especially if they are large?  I am told that polyps grow very slowly.  No family history of colon cancer, my parents, aunts and uncles have all been screened and are clear.  My grandmother did have several polyps removed but not until she was in her 50s or 60s and has never had them reoccur.  I don't drink, smoke, eat relatively healthy and am not obese.

[boron]

First, you'll need to wait what histology will show.

Adenomatous polyps (adenomas) appears after 40, before this age are very rare. These are polyps from which a colorectal cancer may develop.

Juvenile polyps are benign, do not develop in cancer and may appear in children and young people.

Inflammatory polyps are not true polyps but clusters of inflammatory tissue from several reasons, including Crohn's disease.

The only condition where adenomas appear under 30 id familiar adenomatous polyposis FAP), which is genetic (you'd for sure have a relative with adenomas in his/her young age), and goes with dozens of colonic polyps. Yet another type is Hereditary Non-Polyposis Colon Cancer (HNPCC), increases the risk of colon cancer, often beginning in the 20s and 30s, but does not cause a large number of polyps.

http://www.uptodate.com/patients/content/topic.do?topicKey=digestiv/9798

[JLE91]

Thanks for your input.  I have heard of both of those conditions.  It doesn't sound likely that I would qualify for FAP (no history of hundreds of polyps in any of my family members).  The HNPCC I'm not sure what to think about that.  I read the diagnostic criteria for establishing that diagnosis and I didn't meet any of the requirements.  Still not sure what to think.  Yes, I will wait for histology report.  The wait is driving me nuts!

[boron]

Small polyp is very unlikely to be cancerous, even when it is adenoma.

[leimilan]

Im 25 years old and also having a hard time finding info on colon polyps in young people.  I have no family history of polyps or other digestive problems mentioned on this board.  Recently, i had a colonoscopy and ultrasound performed for abdominal cramping/hot flash/feverish feeling/ and consistently abnormal bowels over a 6 month timespan.  The ultrasound revealed I have a 1cm polyp in my gallbladder (so i will get it removed soon) and, much to my Dr.s surprize, two colon polyps (but rather small). I am anxiously awaiting the results of the biopsy.  Im assuming my discomfort is a result of the faulty gallbladder, but is it possible that the colon polyps are related to the gallbladder polyp, and should i request that other organs be checked for polyps as well?  Is there anybody out there with a condition similar to mine who wouldn't mind sharing thier experience-thanks it would be a relief to me

[antmanx89]

I also need help discovering what i have, but unfortunately for me I am only 19, with no health insurance as of now.But i have detected bloody stool's numerous times ever since my early teenage years, and have also discovered skin tags which i assume are colon polyps.I discovered these when i was young probally about when i was 10 or 11. I thought nothing of it then. Over the years i have had mild to moderate bloody stools, not all the time but occassionally. For the past two years i see myself only going to the bathroom only once a day, and sometimes i go 3 day without using the bathroom.I eat normally, i smoke now started when i was about 18, i drink and party a lot less than any teenager, ive had symptoms long ago though so i know there is no other cause.