Colon polyps, gross specimen

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Colon polyps. A specimen of the whole large bowel (colon) showing thousands of pre-cancerous polyps of the colonic mucosa. This pathological condition is classified as adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) or familial polyposis coli (FPC). Most cases are inherited through an autosomal dominant gene mutation causing abnormal cell divisions, adhesions and migrations. This disease manifests early in life and the proliferation of polyps is fully developed by the fourth decade. Symptoms include blood in faeces, abdominal pain, malabsorption, and diarrhoea. In nearly 100% of patients polyps undergo malignant (cancerous) transformation. Treatment is limited to surgical removal of the large bowel (colectomy).

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Photo credit: © MICROSCAPE/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
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Keywords: -, adenomatous, bowel, coli, colon, colonic, disease, familial, gross, intestinal, intestine, large, malignancy, pathology, polyposis, polyps, specimen