Polyps: an approach to large bowel cancer detection and prevention.

The evidence that an adenomatous polyp identifies a patient at higher than average risk for colonic cancer seems firm. There is also growing evidence that polypectomy with followup decreases the expected mortality from colonic cancer in patients with adenomatous polyps. Recent studies suggest inheritance of solitary adenomas and colonic cancer in some pedigrees. Further studies of adenoma etiology are suggested; the information to be gained from such studies should be of potential importance to colonic cancer screening efforts.