Colon Polyps

Hereditary Polyp Disorders

Genetic screening is recommended to prevent familial adenomatous polyposis and other polyposis disorders.

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Although only five to 10 percent of colon and rectal cancers result from inherited genetic mutations, individuals with these mutations are at a much higher risk for developing colon and other cancers than the general population.

Fortunately, identification of at-risk individuals, appropriate screening and early detection can help prevent the development or spread of cancer.

Although these disorders are rare, Mayo Clinic, with one of the largest cancer treatment practices in the world, commonly treats patients with hereditary polyps. Hereditary polyp disorders treated at Mayo Clinic include:

• Hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer (HNPCC)
• Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) and its variations:
  • Attenuated FAP
  • Gardner syndrome
  • Turcot syndrome
• Hamartomatosis polyposis syndromes
  • Juvenile polyposis
  • Peutz-Jeghers
  • Cowden's disease

Mayo Clinic's collaborative approach to care, in which doctors from various specialties work together, helps ensure that each patient's needs are met.

Mayo Clinic in Minnesota maintains a colorectal cancer prevention registry to help keep patients at risk of colon cancer informed of new screening techniques, procedures or medications that may be beneficial.

Mayo Clinic doctors and researchers are also actively involved in research to better understand and discover more genetic mutations that cause these disorders.