Are the size, number, shape, and/or location of colonrectal polyps in anyway associated with likelihood of malignancy?

Yes, yes, yes and no: Larger polyp, in general, ismore suspicious for malignancy- although it does not mean that a small polyp can not be cancerous. The more polyps you have the higher your likelihood that perhaps you have a familial condition that is associated with higher risk to develop colon cancer-fap/hnpcc etc. Certain shape of polyp is more suspicious than thers for malignancy. No for location.

Colon Pathology: Familial adenomatous polyposis syndrome can presents with 100s to 1000s colonic polyps (2/2 apc/beta-catenin mutation). Gardner's is this syndrome plus cutaneous & soft tissue neoplasms. Another pathway, lynch syndrome (hnpcc) & serrated adenoma syndrome (msi pathway) w/ latter usu affecting right colon. Peutz-jeghers polyps are usu. In sm. Bowel. Other polyps seen on cscope are usu sporadic.

Yes: The location of polyps is not related but the size and number are important as the chance of malignancy increases with the size and number of polyps. Smooth, uniform polyps are generally of less concern than irregular or ulcerated polyps. All polyps should be totally removed as a large percentage of colon or rectal cancers start as a benign polyp and transform to malignancy ovet time.

Polyps: 95% of polyps less than 1 cm in size are benign. Adenomatous polyps are the pre us or polyp for colon cancer. All colon cancers come from these polyps but all adenomatous polyps don't become cancer. Why a polyp turns on to become cancer is unknown but they estimate it takes five years to become a cancer