A rare, inherited disorder, also known as polyposis coli, in which many polyps are present throughout the gut, but mainly in the colon. If not treated, cancer of the colon (see colon, cancer of) is almost certain to develop. The polyps may appear from age 10. They may cause bleeding and diarrhoea; however, there are often no symptoms until cancer has developed. The polyps are detected by colonoscopy. Since there is a 50 per cent chance that children of an affected person will inherit the disease, medical surveillance is necessary from around the age of 12. Individual polyps may be cauterized (see cauterization). The high risk of developing cancer often means that a colectomy and an ileostomy are performed.
Polyposis, familial |
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