There are several types of polyps. 

• The ordinary polyp – Most sporadic polyps begin to develop between the ages of 40 and 60.  There may be only one or two present and they may take ten years or more to develop into cancer.  There is a hereditary link.  Eventually some of these become cancer.
• Hyperplastic and inflammatory polyps usually do not become pre-cancerous
• Adenomatous polyps may potentially become cancerous over the course of several years. Once cancer begins to develop, it can grow into the wall of the colon or rectum and then spread into blood or lymph vessels.
• Lynch Syndrome (Hereditary Non-Polyposis Colorectal Cancer) – This disorder is more common that familial polyposis but less so than the ordinary polyp.  There is a strong tendency for adenoma type polyps to occur in blood relatives.
• Hereditary Familial Polyposis – This is a true hereditary condition in which the entire colon is studded with hundreds, even thousands of polyps.  They begin at a very early age even under 10 years old.  Virtually every patient will eventually develop colon cancer.  The only known preventive treatment is surgical removal of the colon.  Fortunately, the condition is not common.

What causes Polyps?

Heredity and genes are the most important factors, along with diet and foods.