A fleshy growth on the inside (the lining) of the colon (the large intestine ). Colon polyps are extremely common. Their incidence increases as individuals get older. Half of all people over the age of 60 harbor at least one polyp. Polyps give rise to colon cancer , the second leading cause of death from cancer in the US. Screening for colon polyps and removing them before they become cancerous markedly reduces the incidence of colon cancer. See the entire definition of Colon polyp