What conditions are associated with colorectal cancer?
- Polyps: There are a variety of polyps that can form on the inner wall of the colon or rectum. Precancerous polyps can turn into colorectal cancer. People with numerous polyps—including adenomas, serrated polyps or other types of polyps—often have a genetic predisposition to polyposis and colorectal cancer. These individuals should be managed differently than people with only one to two colorectal polyps.
- Inflammatory bowel disease: Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's colitis are conditions in which the lining of the colon becomes inflamed. People with these conditions, when present for more than seven years and affecting a large portion of the colon, are at greater risk for developing colorectal cancer.
- Personal history: A person who already has had colorectal adenomas or cancer may develop the disease a second time. Also, a history of inflammatory bowel disease can increase the risk of developing colorectal cancer.
- Family history: Sometimes colon cancer “runs in” families. This type of moderately increased cancer risk can be called a "familial colon cancer." When a person has a hereditary cancer susceptibility, he or she has inherited a copy of a cancer susceptibility gene with a mutation. Individuals who inherit a mutation in a cancer susceptibility gene have a much greater chance for developing cancer. However, not everyone with a cancer susceptibility gene mutation will develop cancer. Genetic testing is available for these colorectal cancer syndromes.
You should also consider: