Understand
A test result · Colon · see where this sits
Sessile serrated polyp
Your biopsy came back as a sessile serrated polyp. You want to know whether that’s something to worry about.
- This is not cancer
- It was completely removed
- It’s a common kind of polyp
- There’s nothing you need to do today
- We’ll tell you when your next colonoscopy is due
What this means
A sessile serrated polyp is a flat growth on the inner lining of the colon — a polyp, like an adenoma but with a different pattern under the microscope. Being flat rather than raised is what makes it easy to miss and important to remove once it’s found. It isn’t cancer. Like an adenoma, it’s the type that, left in place over many years, can slowly change — so taking it out is exactly how the colonoscopy lowers your future risk.
- A flat polyp — easy to miss, which is exactly why finding it matters
- Not cancer, and the one we found is gone
- It sits on the “serrated” route toward cancer — removing it closes that route
- Often right-sided, where an unhurried, careful exam earns its keep
What happens next
Nothing urgent. Because this type of polyp can form again, we check on a schedule rather than waiting for symptoms — often around three to five years, sometimes sooner if there were several or a larger one. The interval on your report is the one to follow, and we keep track of it for you.
Common questions
Is a serrated polyp worse than an adenoma?
It’s a different route to the same destination, not a worse one. Both are removed the same way, and both are handled by checking again on a schedule. The one we removed is gone.
Can it come back?
The one we removed is gone. Your colon can form new polyps over time, which is why we repeat the exam on schedule rather than once.
Does my diet matter?
Fiber, limiting red and processed meat, and not smoking all modestly lower polyp risk. Helpful — but it doesn’t replace surveillance.
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Continue the story
For now, this chapter is closed. The follow-up exam — often around three to five years — is the only open thread, and it’s one we track.
Your next colonoscopy isn’t something you need to remember. Your report sets the date, and we hold it for you.
A question that’s specific to you?
This page explains the finding in general. For anything about your own case, your care team is the place to go.
Appointments are with Rochester Gastroenterology Associates — for patients in the greater Western New York area.
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