colon polyp
Meaning of colon polyp: A colon polyp is an abnormal growth on the inner lining of the colon that is usually benign but occasionally becomes cancerous.
Definition of colon polyp
A colon polyp is an abnormal growth of tissue that projects from the inner lining of the colon into its hollow interior. Polyps vary in size and shape, and most produce no symptoms, meaning they are frequently discovered incidentally during a screening colonoscopy performed for other reasons.
Colon polyps are classified into different types based on their appearance under a microscope, and some types, particularly adenomatous polyps, have the potential to develop into colon cancer over time if left in place, while other types carry little or no such risk.
Because certain polyp types can progress toward cancer, a polyp identified during colonoscopy is often removed and examined under a microscope to determine its exact type, information that also helps guide how frequently future screening is recommended.
Used in a sentence
Colonoscopy identified a colon polyp that was removed and sent for pathological examination.
Good to know
Not all colon polyps carry the same risk of becoming cancerous, so identifying the specific type found during colonoscopy is what determines its clinical significance rather than the presence of a polyp alone.
Word origin
Where “colon polyp” comes from
Formed from Greek polypous, meaning many footed, from poly-, meaning many, and pous, meaning foot, an early descriptive term for a growth attached to tissue by a stalk.