Are polyps cancerous?

Polyps are a clump of cells that grow irregularly. They form on the inner lining of any part of the body, but those that grow from the inside of the intestines or bladder may or may not become cancerous. Polyps can also develop from other parts of your digestive system. In some cases, polyps only hamper the functioning of the part of your body they've grown on.

All kinds of polyps are benign. But, if cancerous cells develop inside a polyp, doctors remove it before it gets that far. They then subject the growth to further testing and determine what treatment is necessary for you by studying its appearance and structure under a microscope.

Different kinds of polyps have different risks. Lesions that develop from your digestive tract, such as those that grow on the insides of your body, are more likely to become cancerous than those present elsewhere in your body. These lesions can turn cancerous even without a family history of cancer. They're also more difficult to remove than other kinds of polyps.