When doctors find this disease early, it’s highly curable. It happens when abnormal cells grow in the lining of the large intestine (also called the colon) or the rectum. It can strike both men and women, and it has the second highest rate of cancer deaths in the U.S.

What Are Polyps?

They're growths on the inside of your intestines. Most of them are harmless, but some can turn into colorectal cancer if not removed early. The two most common types of intestinal polyps are adenomas and hyperplastic polyps. They form when there are problems with the way cells grow and repair in the lining of the colon.

Risk Factors You Can't Control

Some things you just can’t help, such as:

Your age -- most people with it are older than 50
Polyps or inflammatory bowel disease
Family history of colorectal cancer or precancerous colon polyps

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