Types of colon polyps

Some adenomatous polyps are attached to the wall of the colon or rectum by a stalk (pedunculated). Some have a broad base with little or no stalk (sessile).

Polyps are also classified based on the type of tissue they contain:¹

• Tubular (T) adenomas are the most common type. About 80% to 86% of polyps contain this type of tissue. Tubular adenomas are the least likely type of polyp to develop into colon cancer.
• Villous (V) adenomas are the least common type. About 3% to 16% of polyps contain this type of tissue. Villous adenomas are the most likely type of polyp to become cancerous.
• Tubulovillous (TV) adenomas are a combination of tubular and villous tissue types. About 8% to 16% of polyps contain this type of tissue and are more likely than tubular (T) but less likely than villous (V) adenomas to develop into cancer.

Cancer risk of different polyps¹

	Smaller than 1 cm	1 cm to 2 cm	Larger than 2 cm
Tubular (T)	1% chance of containing cancer	10% chance of containing cancer	35% chance of containing cancer
Tubulovillous (TV)	4% chance of containing cancer	7% chance of containing cancer	46% chance of containing cancer
Villous (V)	10% chance of containing cancer	10% chance of containing cancer	53% chance of containing cancer

Author:	Monica Rhodes	Last Updated: May 14, 2007
Medical Review:	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine Peter J. Kahrilas, MD - Gastroenterology
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