Familial adenomatous polyposis

[Mark Zuckerberg]

Familial adenomatous polyposis is an inherited disorder in which many (often 100 or more) precancerous polyps develop throughout the large intestine and rectum during childhood or adolescence.
A polyp is a projecting growth of tissue from the wall of a hollow space, such as the intestines (see also Polyps of the Colon and Rectum). Familial adenomatous polyposis occurs in 1 in 8,000 to 14,000 people. The polyps are present in 50% of people by age 15 and in 95% of people by age 35. In nearly all untreated people, the polyps develop into cancer of the large intestine or rectum (colorectal cancer) by age 40.
People with familial adenomatous polyposis also have an increased risk of developing cancer in the duodenum, pancreas, thyroid, brain, and liver. People with familial adenomatous polyposis can develop other complications (previously termed Gardner syndrome), particularly various types of noncancerous tumors. These noncancerous tumors develop elsewhere in the body (for example, on the skin, skull, or jaw).