Polyps are clusters of cells that can develop in the entire gastrointestinal tract, but they’re more likely seen in the small intestine, colon and/or rectum. As they grow, they can transform into cancer.

“Not every polyp turns into cancer. But since they have the potential to, we remove them,” says Eduardo Vilar-Sanchez, M.D., Ph.D., who specializes in hereditary cancer syndromes and colorectal cancer.

Familial adenomatous...