Glossary Term:
Title
familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP)
Phonetic
fa-<b>mil</b>-e-uhl ad-<b>no</b>-muh-tus or <b>ad</b>-uh-<b>NO</b>-muh-tus<b> pa</b>-lih-<b>PO</b>-sis
Description
An inherited condition in which many polyps form on the inner wall of the colon and rectum. A polyp is an abnormal growth on the inner lining of organs. Having FAP puts a person at an increased risk for getting colorectal cancer at an early age. FAP can also increase the risk of getting cancers of the stomach, small intestine, liver, adrenal gland, thyroid, brain, pancreas, and bile duct.