Dr. Michael Santoro is a Board-certified Internist and Gastroenterologist, who is in clincal practice in Southern California. He did his medical school training at the SUNY-Health and Science Center in Brooklyn. He completed a three-year internal medicine residency at Staton Island University Hospital. This was followed by a three-year fellowship in Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Loma Linda University.
Dr. Lee was born in Shanghai, China, and received his college and medical training in the United States. He is fluent in English and three Chinese dialects. He graduated with chemistry departmental honors from Harvey Mudd College. He was appointed president of AOA society at UCLA School of Medicine. He underwent internal medicine residency and gastroenterology fellowship training at Cedars Sinai Medical Center.
Although adenomas are by far the most common type of colon
polyps, there are several other types of polyps. Among the other
types of polyps that have no malignant potential are the
hyperplastic, inflammatory, and hamartomatous polyps.
Knowing that colon polyps grow and go on to become cancerous and
knowing how common they are, screening guidelines have been set by
the American Cancer Society to minimize the risk of colon cancer by
detecting and removing polyps.
Starting at the age of 40, everyone should have a stool specimen
tested for occult blood (blood that cannot be seen with the naked
eye) every year. This is recommended because it is known that when
polyps become large they can bleed into the intestine where the blood
mixes with the stool. Thus, an early warning sign for colon polyps
could be the presence of occult blood in the stool.
Starting at the age of 50, everyone should have a flexible
sigmoidoscopy every 3-5 years. A flexible sigmoidoscope is a two and
one-half foot tube half an inch in diameter with a light on the end
that can be inserted through the anus for inspecting the inside of
approximately one-third of the colon's total length.
If adenomatous polyps are detected with sigmoidoscopy, then a full
colonoscopy with a longer tube (four to five feet) should be used to
inspect the entire length of the colon. During a colonoscopy, any
polyp can be removed and sent for an evaluation under the microscope
to determine if it too is an adenomatous polyp.
Many doctors in the US are recommending screening colonoscopies rather than
flexible sigmoidoscopies for healthy subjects with an average risk for
developing colon cancer. Colonoscopies are recommended beginning at the age of
50 and thereafter every 7-10 years if no colon polyps or cancers are found. The
rationale for this recommendation is: 1) Colonoscopy examines the entire colon
while flexible sigmoidoscopy only examines the rectum and the colon adjacent to
the rectum, 2) approximately 50% of colon polyps (and colon cancers) are found
in the upper colon (cecum, ascending colon, and transverse colon) and,
therefore, are beyond the reach of sigmoidoscopes and would be missed by
flexible sigmoidoscopy, and 3) the National Polyp Study, a large, scientific
study, has shown that colonoscopy with removal of all colon polyps reduces
deaths from colon cancer.
Colon Polyps - Describe Your ExperienceQuestion: Did you have any of the risk factors for colon polyps at the time of your diagnosis? If so, what were they?
Rectal bleeding (hematochezia) refers to the passage of bright red blood from the anus. Rectal bleeding may be moderate to severe and most bleeding comes from the colon, rectum, or anus. Common causes include anal fissures, hemorrhoids, diverticulitis, and more.
Colon cancer is a malignancy that arises from the inner lining of the colon. Most, if not all, of these cancers develop from colonic polyps. Removal of these precancerous polyps can prevent colon cancer.
Inflammation of the inner lining of the colon is referred to as colitis. Symptoms of the inflammation of the colon lining include diarrhea, pain, and blood in the stool. There are several causes of colitis including infection, ischemia of the colon, inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease, Ulcerative colitis, or microscopic colitis). Treatment depends on the cause of the colitis.
Though it's difficult to say why some people develop cancer while others don't, research shows that certain risk factors increase a person's odds of developing cancer. These risk factors include growing older, family history of cancer, diet, alcohol and tobacco use, and exposure to sunlight, ionizing radiation, certain chemicals, and some viruses and bacteria.
Digestion is the complex process of turning food you eat into the energy you need to survive. The digestive process also involves creating waste to be eliminated, and is made of a series of muscles that coordinate the movement of food.
Gardners' syndrome, or familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), is an inherited condition in which cancer of the colon and rectum develop. Colon polyps and growths may develop as early as the teens. If these polyps are not removed, they will become cancerous. There are different inheritance patterns for familial adenomatous polyposis.
Disease prevention in men includes routine screening tests that are part of basic prevention medicine. Take an active role in your own health care and discuss screening tests with your doctor early in life. Age of screening and timing of screening depends upon the condition being assessed.
Disease prevention in women includes screening tests that are a basic part of prevention medicine. All screening tests
are commonly available through your general doctor. Some specialized tests may be available elsewhere.
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