Medical Questions » Stomach Questions » Question No. 955
| Question: | What can you tell me about polyps in the stomach (which the doctor states I have) and what can be done about them? |
| Answer: | Polyps are growths on the inside of the gut that can be anything from microscopic in size to an inch (2.5 cm) across, and may be attached to the gut by quite long stalks. They are more common in the last metre of the bowel (the colon) than they are further up. In most people, they cause no symptoms, but they may become irritated, ulcerated and bleed; they can become twisted around a narrow stalk to become painful; or they may even be picked up by the actions of the intestine, ' which attempts to push it further along like a piece of food. In rare cases, they may become cancerous.
There are certain types of hereditary polyps which are large in number, and in which cancer is a particularly high risk. The polyps are usually discovered during endoscopy (a flexible telescope that is passed into the gut from either end) or on an X-ray of the gut. If your doctor was worried about them, s/he would have arranged for them to be removed.
If they are causing no symptoms, and are not likely to become cancerous, they can be left alone, but you should report any change in your bowel habits, or any bleeding or pain immediately to your doctor.
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