Can familial adenomatous polyposis cause bowel cancer?

FAP is an inherited condition rather than a cancer diagnosis. Its link with cancer is strong enough that people affected need planned specialist surveillance and often preventive treatment rather than waiting for symptoms.

FAP causes many adenomatous polyps to form in the colon and rectum. A polyp is a growth in the bowel lining. Over time, cells within some polyps can accumulate changes that allow a cancer to form.

A person can feel well while polyps or early cancer are present. FAP can also affect relatives because the gene change may be inherited, so genetic counselling can help identify who in the family may benefit from testing and surveillance.

Follow the endoscopy schedule set by your inherited-cancer or colorectal team. During endoscopy, clinicians inspect the bowel lining and assess the number, size and appearance of polyps. These findings help determine whether continued surveillance, polyp removal or bowel surgery is appropriate.

If surgery is recommended, the operation and future checks depend on which parts of the colon or rectum remain. Keep attending follow-up afterward because remaining bowel tissue can still develop polyps. Bring any genetic test report and family history to appointments so the team can tailor care.

Arrange medical assessment for blood in the stool, a persistent change in bowel habit, ongoing abdominal pain, unexplained weight loss, increasing tiredness or a feeling that the bowel does not empty fully. Do not wait for the next surveillance visit to report a persistent new symptom.

Seek urgent care for heavy rectal bleeding, fainting, severe or rapidly worsening abdominal pain, repeated vomiting, or a swollen abdomen with inability to pass stool or wind. These features may indicate significant bleeding or a bowel blockage.

Ask what your latest endoscopy showed, when the next examination is due, what findings would make surgery advisable and which follow-up is needed afterward. You can also discuss genetic counselling, testing for relatives, reproductive options and whether checks outside the colon are relevant to your form of FAP.