More than 3 polyps is a lot in a colonoscopy and is considered to be a higher risk of developing colon cancer or colorectal cancer when compared to having just 1 or 2 or even 3 polyps.
Having multiple polyps means that you have a greater chance of some of the polyps turning into colon cancer or colorectal cancer over time.
The amount of polyps that are normal in a colonoscopy is less than 3 polyps especially if the polyps are small and less than 10 mm in diameter and although they can be considered precancerous they also can be removed before they turn into cancer.
And polyps found in a colonoscopy that are less than 10 mm in diameter have a lower risk of developing into colon cancer.
The size of polyp that is worrisome is a polyp that is large in size than 19 millimeters or 1 centimeter which are more concerning due to a higher risk of it turning into colon cancer or colorectal cancer.
Polyps that are smaller such as 5mm or less are not as worrisome and are less likely to be cancerous polyps.
Many smaller polyps that are found in the colon are non cancerous and can be easily removed before they grow larger and spread.
Colon cancer stages range from 0 to 4 and in it's earliest stage colon cancer doesn't always cause any symptoms.
Stage 0 colon cancer is the earliest stage of colon cancer and stage 4 colon cancer is the most advanced stage of colon cancer and means that the colon cancer as spread or metastasized to distant parts of the body.
Stage 0 colon cancer is limited to the innermost lining of your colon.
Stage I colon cancer has grown into the wall of your intestine although it has not spread to your lymph nodes or distant sites.
Stage II colon cancer has spread through your colon wall, but has not yet reached your lymph nodes.
Stage III colon cancer has spread to your nearby lymph nodes.
And stage IV colon cancer has spread to distant organs such as your liver or lungs.
The stage of colon cancer that symptoms often appear is in the later stages such as in stage 2 colon cancer.
Although when the symptoms appear with colon cancer can vary on the location of the colon cancer and can include changes in your bowel habits, rectal bleeding, abdominal pain and even fatigue.
Colon cancer also often does not cause any noticeable symptoms in the early stages, which is why it's crucial to get screened for colon cancer for early detection.
In the later stages of colon cancer you can have symptoms such as constipation, diarrhea and changes in your stool consistency like narrower stools.
In the later stages of colon cancer you often also have rectal bleeding or blood in your poop which can be visible or detected through a stool test and may abdominal pain or abdominal cramping which can be persistent or unexplained as well as unexplained fatigue or weakness which can be persistent tiredness that doesn't improve with rest.
Unexplained weight loss and nausea, vomiting, Jaundice, "yellowing of the skin and eyes" and anemia which is a low red blood cell count.
In the metastatic stages such as Stage IV of colon cancer you can experience jaundice, abdominal swelling and pain, persistent coughing and shortness of breath, bone pain and increased risk of fractures and headaches and seizures.
The most common location of colon cancer is your sigmoid colon, which is the lower left part of your colon.
Other common locations aside from the sigmoid colon for colon cancer to occur are your rectum which is considered a separate entity from your colon, your descending colon, your transverse colon and your ascending colon.
Colon cancer can develop anywhere in your colon and the specific location where the colon cancer develops can also affect your diagnoses, symptoms and treatment options for the colon cancer.
The first place that colon cancer spreads is the liver after the colon as the colon and liver are connected by the portal vein.
Then after colon cancer spreads to your liver, the colon cancer can then spread to your lymph nodes by the colon cancer cells traveling through your lymph system.
After colon cancer spreads to your lymph nodes the colon cancer cells and colon cancer can then spread to your lungs through your bloodstream.
After colon cancer spreads to your lungs it can then spread to your peritoneum which is the lining of your abdominal cavity and then it can also spread to the brain, bones and kidneys.
Although it's less common for the colon cancer to spread to the brain, bones or kidneys but it's possible.
Colon cancer can spread as fast as a few years and some cases of colon cancer spread a bit more slowly and then as it progresses it can spread faster.
Metastasis of colon cancer often occurs relatively early after it progresses and even before diagnoses of colon cancer.
Colon cancer often spreads to other parts of the body, and most particularly your liver and your lungs within a couple of years after the initial diagnoses of colon cancer.
The average age for colon cancer is when you're in your 50s to 60s years of age.
Although there is also a trend of people even younger getting colon cancer and can be as early as 50 years of age or under.
Although 90 percent of colon cancer cases are diagnosed and occur in people over 50 years of age.
The stage that colon cancer is fatal is Stage 4 colon cancer.
Stage 4 colon cancer is the end stage of colon cancer and is not curable as the colon cancer has spread to other parts of the body like your liver, lymph nodes, lungs or abdominal cavity.
Stage 4 colon cancer has a 5 year survival rate of around 13 percent.
The colon cancer that has the worst prognosis is right sided colon cancer and Adenosquamous carcinoma colon cancer.
The most aggressive type of colon cancer is Adenosquamous carcinoma which is rare but aggressive colon cancer that has a poor prognosis.
Adenosquamous carcinoma often presents at stage IV.
Survival rates of adenosquamous carcinoma are significantly worse than adenocarcinoma at all stages and more aggressive treatments may be required.
The first stage of colon cancer is when the colon cancer has grown into the wall of your intestine but hasn't spread beyond the muscular coat or into close lymph nodes.
The second stage of colon cancer is when the colon cancer has spread farther into the wall of the intestine but has not spread to the nearby lymph nodes.
The 5 symptoms of colon cancer are blood in your poop, abdominal cramps, unexplained weight loss, fatigue and weakness and a change in your bowel habits.
All colon cancers can and do cause blood in the stool or your poop.
With colon cancer your poop may be mixed with blood or streaked with blood although often the blood cannot be seen in the poop in some colon cancers.
However the most common first symptom of colon cancer or rectal cancer is bleeding during a bowel movement.
The 10 early signs of colon cancer are.
Constipation.
Diarrhea.
Change in bowel movements such as frequency, shape and size of bowel movements.
Urge or discomfort to have a bowel movement even when there is no need.
Rectal bleeding.
Change in appetite.
Feeling Full.
Bloating.
Abdominal pain.
Abdominal cramping pain in the lower stomach.