Medicines for the Treatment of Intestinal Polyps

Definition

For intestinal polyp s "means a soft outgrowth, of variable size, formed along the mucosa of the intestine; more specifically, intestinal polyps tend to grow preferentially in the colon and rectum. In general, intestinal polyps have a completely benign course, although they can sometimes evolve into cancer (colon cancer).

Causes

An unbalanced diet - rich in red meat and saturated fat and low in fiber - is one of the most frequent causes of intestinal polyposis; advanced age and genetic predisposition also heavily influence the formation of polyps in the colon. Other risk factors for the development of intestinal polyps include: tendency to intestinal inflammation, sedentary lifestyle, overweight / obesity.

Symptoms

Almost paradoxically, the danger of intestinal polyps is related to their asymptomaticity: in fact, only a few patients who suffer from them complain of symptoms (anemia, abdominal cramps, diarrhea or difficulty in defecation, mucorrhea, presence of blood in the stool and rectal tenesmus). Large intestinal polyps, obstructing the intestine, can lead to abdominal colic accompanied by intense pain.

The information on Intestinal Polyps - Medicines for the Treatment of Intestinal Polyps is not intended to replace the direct relationship between health professional and patient. Always consult your doctor and / or specialist before taking Intestinal Polyps - Medicines for the Treatment of Intestinal Polyps.

Medicines

The treatment for intestinal polyps depends on the triggering cause, type, location and size of the same.
Intestinal polyps are generally eradicated surgically, in order to reduce the risk of degeneration into cancer; however, given that intestinal polyps tend to develop after the age of 50, it is advisable to undergo regular diagnostic tests in order to prematurely identify the possible presence of abnormal growths in the intestine. Pharmacological treatment is hardly considered.
The following are the most used therapeutic options for the removal of the polyp, which must always be established after careful diagnostic investigation, based on the size and location of the polyp:

1. Polypectomy: medical procedure that involves the extraction of the intestinal polyp by endoscopy. The removal of the polyp can also take place during exploratory colonoscopy. The major risks associated with this surgical practice include bleeding and perforation of the colon.
2. Burning: if the size of the polyp is particularly small, it is possible to cauterize or burn the abnormal intestinal outgrowth with an electric current.
3. Surgery: in the case of familial adenomatous polyposis, we generally proceed with total colectomy, which consists in the removal of the entire colon. In other cases, it is possible to proceed with the removal of a small part of the colon. In general, surgery represents the best therapeutic option when the polyps are located in areas that are difficult to reach with other methods, or when their size can make extraction by polypectomy difficult. The excision of the intestinal polyp by laparoscopy is preferable to standard surgical techniques ; moreover, laparoscopy allows a more rapid and less painful recovery of the patient.

Intestinal polyps: drugs after surgery

As analyzed, intestinal polyps can be removed through some surgical operations, more or less invasive; the drugs can only be taken later, and are useful to avoid a new formation of polyps. It should be emphasized that taking drugs to avoid recurrence of intestinal polyps is only recommended for severe cases, in which the disease can easily develop into malignant tumor and metastasize, or in the event of an already evident neoplastic degeneration in progress. The dosage should be established by the doctor based on the severity of the problem and the degree of advancement of the tumor.
Listed below are some examples of drugs used in therapy for the prevention of recurrence of intestinal polyps, after surgery, in those patients who have a high risk of malignant polyp degeneration:

• 5-Fluorouracil (eg. Fluorouracil) is a chemotherapy drug (class: antimetabolites). It is often administered in combination with folinic acid (eg Hepa-Factor), intravenously, as a bolus or by continuous infusion. It is included among the drugs of choice for the treatment of rectal and colon cancer.
• Oxaliplatin (eg Eloxatin) belongs to the class of antineoplastic chemotherapy. It is often taken in combination with folinic acid and 5-Fluorouracil.
• Capecitabine (eg. Xeloda) available in tablets, the drug is indicated for the treatment of patients undergoing surgical treatment for the treatment of intestinal polyps with degeneration into colon cancer.

Other articles on "Intestinal Polyps - Medicines for the Treatment of Intestinal Polyps"

1. Polypectomy
2. Intestinal polyps