Rectal Polyps Or Cancer

Posted on Thu, 18 Feb 2021

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Thu, 18 Feb 2021 Answered on

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 Last reviewed on

Question : Rectal polyps or cancer

Answered by Dr. T Chandrakant (54 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Histopathology report alone is confirmatory.

Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Thanks for your query, albeit very short.
Rectal polyp and cancer can be distinguished by the following way:
Polyp is always a globular or tear-drop structure; usually no ulcer or so, smooth outline.
Cancer can be like a polyp in the beginning but with time can get ulcerated, bleeds on touch, irregular in share, hard on palpation.
The ultimate diagnosis is by BIOPSY and Histopathology report.
Additional investigations will be required as needed:
Colonoscopy.
CT scan of abdomen.

I hope this answers your query.
Feel free to give your age, gender and the reasons for this question.

Dr T Chandrakant.
General Surgeon.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. T Chandrakant (34 minutes later)

Thanks doc, I had colonoscopy 2 weeks ago and was negative. Last month a pelvic mri because I have anal fistula. But now last week doc doing surgery did a DRE and felt something and did anoscopy. Ssid it's about 1 centimeter well differentiated. Said it may be nign and will remove during fistula surgery

Answered by Dr. T Chandrakant (9 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Histopathology of the tissues removed alone can be confirmatory.

Detailed Answer:
Yes, got it.
In such a case when the diagnosis is in doubt the best way is confirmation by Biopsy.
Anything that is removed from body is sent for histopathology and this alone can tell us the confirmatory diagnosis.
So request for biopsy and histopathology.

Dr T Chandrakant.
General Surgeon.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar