Familial intestinal polyposis.

Familial polyposis is of interest for its own sake as a sort of pathological curiosity and also in relation to the problem of cancer. The term " polyposis " is used to describe a widespread adenomatous proliferation of the intestinal mucous membrane, leading to the formation of multiple adenomata. It should not be applied to intestinal polyps of different histological structure, such as inflammatory or fibroid polyps, because these exhibit no special tendency to carcinoma, whereas true polyposis undoubtedly does. In fact, intestinal cancer is an almost invariable sequel to familial polyposis.