Colon Polyps Specialist

Sonoran Surgical

General Surgeon & Colorectal Surgeons in Chandler, AZ, San Tan Valley, AZ, Mesa, AZ & Gilbert AZ

Colon cancer begins in colon polyps, which is why it’s important to schedule screening to detect and remove polyps at an early stage. Aalok Sahai, MD, at Sonoran Surgical has extensive experience diagnosing and treating colon polyps. Dr. Sahai also performs a risk assessment so you know when to have a colonoscopy to prevent cancer. If you have questions about colon polyps or you’d like to schedule an appointment, use the online booking feature or call the office in Chandler, and San Tan Valley, Arizona.

Colon Polyps Q & A

What is a colon polyp?

A colon polyp is a mass of tissue that grows on the inside wall of the colon. Polyps are benign (noncancerous) when they first develop. However, more than 95% of colon cancers develop from polyps whose cells start to grow abnormally.

Since colon polyps grow slowly, your risk of cancer increases over time. Your risk also depends on the type of polyp and the extent of dysplasia or abnormal growth.

What symptoms develop due to colon polyps?

In most patients, colon polyps don’t cause symptoms. However, you may experience:

Painless rectal bleeding that’s bright red or dark colored
Diarrhea or constipation
Abdominal pain
Mucus discharge with stools
Fatigue due to iron deficiency anemia

You may also have occult bleeding, which means there’s blood in your stool that can only be detected using a specialized lab test.

How are colon polyps diagnosed and treated?

The first step toward diagnosing colon polyps may be a fecal occult blood test. If this test is positive, however, additional testing is required to determine the cause of the blood, which may come from a condition other than polyps.

The gold standard for diagnosing and treating colon polyps is a colonoscopy. During a colonoscopy, Dr. Sahai guides a long, flexible tube through your rectum and large intestine. The colonoscope holds lighting and a video camera, so the doctor can carefully examine the intestinal lining as the scope is inserted and again when it’s slowly withdrawn.

When polyps are identified, Dr. Sahai uses specialized tools passed through the colonoscope to remove the polyp. He may also remove some of the surrounding tissue if it looks abnormal. The tissues are sent to the lab, where they’re carefully examined under the microscope to determine whether abnormal cell growth or cancerous cells are present.

Removing polyps prevents colon cancer from forming. Even if a polyp contains cancerous changes, removing the polyp often eliminates the problem and treats the cancer — as long as the cancer hasn’t had time to spread beyond the polyp.

Since removing polyps at an early stage prevents colon cancer, the American Cancer Society recommends that patients with an average risk for cancer schedule their first screening at the age of 45. Dr. Sahai will assess your risk and let you know if you should get your first screening before you turn 45.

To schedule an exam to check for colon polyps, call Sonoran Surgical or book an appointment online.