title: Colorectal polyps and their relationship to cancer.
abstract: Autosomal dominant, familial forms of colorectal adenocarcinoma are recognized, but more than 90% of cases are sporadic. Most familial and sporadic cases arise through malignant transformation of benign adenomas in a process known as the adenoma-to-carcinoma sequence. Adenomas are classified histologically as tubular, tubulovillous, or villous. As a neoplasm, adenomas all manifest mild, moderate, or severe dysplasia. The majority (> 90%) of adenomas are small (< 1 cm in diameter) and do not progress. Risk factors for carcinomatous progression include the presence of multiple adenomas, size greater than or equal to 1 cm, and villous histology or severe dysplasia in adenomas of any size. The adenoma-to-carcinoma sequence advances through the accumulation of lesions involving multiple genes. It appears that similar molecular genetic mechanisms are involved in familial and sporadic forms of colorectal neoplasia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, State University of New York at Buffalo, USA.
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lance
mesh_terms: D003111:Colonic Polyps / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007417:Intestinal Polyps / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy