Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP)
Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is an inherited disorder characterized
by cancer of the large intestine (colon) and rectum. People with the classic
type of FAP may begin to develop multiple noncancerous (benign) growths (polyps) in the colon as early as their teenage
years. Unless the colon is removed, these polyps will become malignant
(cancerous). The average age at which an individual develops colon cancer in
classic FAP is 39 years. Some people have a variant of the disorder, called attenuated FAP, in which polyp growth is delayed. The average age of colorectal cancer onset for
attenuated FAP is 55 years.
In people with classic FAP, the number of polyps increases with age,
and hundreds to thousands of polyps can develop in the colon. Also of particular
significance are noncancerous growths called desmoid tumors. These fibrous
tumors usually occur in the tissue covering the intestines and may be provoked
by surgery to remove the colon. Desmoid tumors tend to recur after they are
surgically removed. In both classic FAP and its attenuated variant, benign and malignant tumors are sometimes found in other places in the body, including the duodenum (a section of the small intestine),
stomach, bones, skin, and other tissues. People who have colon polyps as well as
growths outside the colon are sometimes described as having Gardner
syndrome.
CPP's lead combination therapy product CPP-1X/sul is being developed to minimize the occurrence and/or recurrence of problematic polyps and tumors associated with this debilitating disease.
Colon Cancer Risk Reduction Programs