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What Does 1.7cm Flat Lesion In Distal Ascending Colon Indicate?
Question: I recently had a colonoscopy and here are the surgeons findings:
1. Suction polyp
2. Hemorrhoids
3. 1.7 cm flat lesion in the distal ascending colon
The surgeon was most concerned about the flat lesion and took 5 pieces of it for biopsy. I am gravely concerned that this is a cancerous lesion. This was my second colonoscopy. My first one was in 2010 and a polyp was found in the transverse colon and was benign. This flat lesion was found in close proximity to the first polyp in 2010. Could this lesion have been there in 2010, and been missed? Is a 1.7 cm lesion usually malignant? The surgeon I had did not know what this was. I am very scared and concerned. I have no history of colon cancer in my immediate family; however, my grandmother on my fathers side had colon cancer when she was 80. It was assumed that she developed it from overuse of laxatives on a daily basis.
I won't receive any report on the biopsy for 2 weeks, so you can imagine my anxiety. Any help you could give me would be greatly appreciated.
1. Suction polyp
2. Hemorrhoids
3. 1.7 cm flat lesion in the distal ascending colon
The surgeon was most concerned about the flat lesion and took 5 pieces of it for biopsy. I am gravely concerned that this is a cancerous lesion. This was my second colonoscopy. My first one was in 2010 and a polyp was found in the transverse colon and was benign. This flat lesion was found in close proximity to the first polyp in 2010. Could this lesion have been there in 2010, and been missed? Is a 1.7 cm lesion usually malignant? The surgeon I had did not know what this was. I am very scared and concerned. I have no history of colon cancer in my immediate family; however, my grandmother on my fathers side had colon cancer when she was 80. It was assumed that she developed it from overuse of laxatives on a daily basis.
I won't receive any report on the biopsy for 2 weeks, so you can imagine my anxiety. Any help you could give me would be greatly appreciated.
Brief Answer:
No way to be sure until biopsy results back
Detailed Answer:
Hi, thank you for using Healthcare Magic. Unfortunately there is no way to know for sure what this is until the biopsy results come back. I understand your anxiety and know that waiting for 2 weeks is like waiting forever. Yes, it is possible this is cancer. It may have been there 5 years ago, but was too small to be identified. It may not have been there at all, though. No way to know for sure, and it really doesn't matter.
Colon cancer is slow growing. The reason colonoscopies are recommended is that they can identify cancers and precancerous lesions before they spread and become untreatable. Even if yours is cancer, it is still small and can be treated and cured. Flat lesions that are this size have a higher risk of being malignant, but this does not absolutely mean that it is. In any case, it is still relatively small as a cancerous lesion and potentially very curable. Also the degree of severity depends more on how deep it goes into the colon wall and less on the width of it. This too will be determined by biopsy results.
What I can tell you is that in the worst case scenario, you have something that can be treated and cured. That is why you got the colonoscopy in the first place- to identify precancerous and cancerous lesions so treatment can be started immediately and the chance of any cancer spreading is eliminated.
Again, it may be nothing serious, but even if it is, it's at a curable stage. Try to keep that in mind until the results come back. Of course, it cannot relieve your anxiety entirely, but should give you something positive to hang on to. If it is a cancer, it is curable. Remember that.
Hope this answers your query. If you have further questions, I would be happy to answer them.
No way to be sure until biopsy results back
Detailed Answer:
Hi, thank you for using Healthcare Magic. Unfortunately there is no way to know for sure what this is until the biopsy results come back. I understand your anxiety and know that waiting for 2 weeks is like waiting forever. Yes, it is possible this is cancer. It may have been there 5 years ago, but was too small to be identified. It may not have been there at all, though. No way to know for sure, and it really doesn't matter.
Colon cancer is slow growing. The reason colonoscopies are recommended is that they can identify cancers and precancerous lesions before they spread and become untreatable. Even if yours is cancer, it is still small and can be treated and cured. Flat lesions that are this size have a higher risk of being malignant, but this does not absolutely mean that it is. In any case, it is still relatively small as a cancerous lesion and potentially very curable. Also the degree of severity depends more on how deep it goes into the colon wall and less on the width of it. This too will be determined by biopsy results.
What I can tell you is that in the worst case scenario, you have something that can be treated and cured. That is why you got the colonoscopy in the first place- to identify precancerous and cancerous lesions so treatment can be started immediately and the chance of any cancer spreading is eliminated.
Again, it may be nothing serious, but even if it is, it's at a curable stage. Try to keep that in mind until the results come back. Of course, it cannot relieve your anxiety entirely, but should give you something positive to hang on to. If it is a cancer, it is curable. Remember that.
Hope this answers your query. If you have further questions, I would be happy to answer them.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
So if it is precancerous or cancerous, can just the lesion be successfully removed by surgery, or would they have to remove part of the bowel too?
Brief Answer:
Depends on the depth of the lesion
Detailed Answer:
If it's a shallow lesion or precancerous, they might be able to excise it or freeze it. If it's deeper there may be a need to remove part of the bowel as well. This would be just a piece of bowel that would be excised and later the ends sewed back together, which means you would not have a permanent colostomy bag. If it's cancerous, they may recommend removal of that piece of bowel just to be on the safe side.
Depends on the depth of the lesion
Detailed Answer:
If it's a shallow lesion or precancerous, they might be able to excise it or freeze it. If it's deeper there may be a need to remove part of the bowel as well. This would be just a piece of bowel that would be excised and later the ends sewed back together, which means you would not have a permanent colostomy bag. If it's cancerous, they may recommend removal of that piece of bowel just to be on the safe side.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
I know you said that it is curable; however, would there be additional treatments of chemotherapy or radiation after a bowel resection?
Brief Answer:
Not necessarily
Detailed Answer:
Whether additional treatment such as radiation or chemotherapy is necessary would depend on the type of cancer present and its extent. The bowel resection itself might be curative. The options will be clearer once the biopsy results come back. The important thing to remember is it can be cured with treatments available now. And it may not even be cancer. Hope this helps.
Not necessarily
Detailed Answer:
Whether additional treatment such as radiation or chemotherapy is necessary would depend on the type of cancer present and its extent. The bowel resection itself might be curative. The options will be clearer once the biopsy results come back. The important thing to remember is it can be cured with treatments available now. And it may not even be cancer. Hope this helps.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
It does help; thank you! I'm am just really scared. I know the lesion is fairly small; however, I still worry. I know it would have been worse if they wouldn't have caught it. Your right, that's the reason for doing colonoscopies; to catch potential problems. I will try to remember that and hope for the best!
Brief Answer:
Your anxiety is understandable
Detailed Answer:
It's normal to be very scared in a situation like this. Just try to keep your positive attitude and remember the reason you got the colonoscopy in the first place. Best wishes.
Your anxiety is understandable
Detailed Answer:
It's normal to be very scared in a situation like this. Just try to keep your positive attitude and remember the reason you got the colonoscopy in the first place. Best wishes.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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