Featured Doctor
- Board Certified and Fellowship Trained
- Practicing in Boca Raton since 2000
- Specializes in Diagnosing and Treating Irritable Bowel & Pancreatic Diseases
- Affiliate Assistant Professor of Clinical Biomedical Science, FAU
Dietitian’s Corner:
5 Tips to Getting More Fiber
Melissa Ventura-Marra
PhD, RD, LD/N
- Choose a high fiber breakfast cereal that provides 5 or more grams per serving.
- Add berries to cereal, yogurt or whole-grain waffles.
- Include beans and lentils by adding them to salads and soups.
- Eat 2-4 servings of fruit daily – good high-fiber choices are apples, pears and oranges.
- Aim for 2-3 cups of vegetables each day – broccoli, green beans and Brussels sprouts are good choices.
Come out and support
Team Digestive CARE
in promoting awareness of
Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis
on April 28th, 2012
at CCFA’s Take Steps Walk,
Young Circle, Hollywood.
Visit our website for information.
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COLON POLYPS AND COLORECTAL CANCER
Lawrence Fiedler, M.D.
COLON CANCER is the second leading cause of cancer related death in the United States. There are 50-60,000 deaths from colorectal cancer and approximately 150,000 new cases of colorectal cancer every year.
The overwhelming majority of colon cancers grow from polyps. These benign polyps grow at a very slow rate (likely over 7-8 yrs) into colorectal cancer. While only a fraction of polyps develop into colon cancer, almost all colon cancers start from benign polyps.
There are several varieties of colon polyps, including adenomas and hyperplastic polyps. While adenomas are potentially precancerous, the chance of a hyperplastic polyp growing into a cancer is close to zero percent. Unfortunately, these polyps may in fact appear identical to a gastroenterologist performing a colonoscopy. As a result, any polyps identified at the time of colonoscopy are removed and referred to the pathologist for microscopic evaluation.
The gastroenterologist has multiple means of polyp removal (i.e. polypectomy) at their disposal. The technique varies by the location and size of the polyp as well as personal preference of the physician. Regardless of technique, the common goal is complete removal of the polyp. Any polyp removed completely can no longer pose a cancer risk.
Well designed studies have shown that individuals who are enrolled in a scheduled colonoscopy program have a far lower rate of colorectal cancer than those who fail to seek out colonoscopy screening. How long one should go in between colonoscopies is asubject of debate. Several factors are considered, including:
- how many precancerous polyps were identified on the prior colonoscopy;
- size of polyps removed;
- family history of colorectal cancer or polyps; and,
- quality of preparation on prior exam.
It is important to understand that polyps do not cause gastrointestinal symptoms. In addition, the vast majority of colon cancers are found in individuals with no family history of colon cancer.
There have been numerous studies evaluating various diets and medications to reduce polyp formation in individuals. It does seem that diets high in fiber and low in fat (particularly animal fat) may reduce colorectal cancer incidence. In addition, studies have evaluated whether various vitamins, supplements, and medications may also have a protective effect. While there are many interesting and promising studies, there is no specific diet or medical therapy recommended to the average individual at this time. Most importantly, a high fiber/low fat diet is encouraged but is by no means a replacement for enrolling in colonoscopy screening and surveillance.
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