Is it possible to have colon or rectal cancer without having polyps?
Colorectal cancer can occur without polyps but it is less common. Individuals with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), such as chronic ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, are at increased risk for developing colorectal cancer without polyps. The risk of colorectal cancer increases with the length of time a person has IBD and by the amount of the bowel that is affected by the IBD.
