Early Screening

In families with a history of FAP, screening for polyps should begin between age 10 and 12, and be repeated every year until polyps appear. Once polyps appear, removal of the colon is usually recommended because of the near inevitability of developing colon cancer, though this may be put off for several years if the polyps are still very small.

If there has been a lot of colon cancer or colon polyps in your family, or colon cancer has been diagnosed at an unusually early age in close relatives, you should:
 

• Analyze your family medical history with a genetics specialist to determine if you might have FAP. 
• Have a doctor examine you for certain physical features that provide clues which suggest that you may have FAP.
• Consider genetic testing for mutations in the APC gene to determine which family members have inherited FAP, although this in not usually
  the first step in making the diagnosis of the FAP in a family.

  
References

Genetic Home Reference. Your Guide to Understanding Genetic Conditions.

Genetic Health

Bertario, L. et al. (1997). Recommendations for clinical management of familial adenomatous polyposis. Tumori 83: 800-803.

Jarvinen, H. (1992). Epidemiology of familiial adenomatous polyposis in Finland: inpact of screening on colorectal cancer rate and suvival. Gut 33:
357-360.

Ivanovich, J. et al. (1999). A practical approach to familial and hereditary colorectal cancer. Excerpta Medica 107: 68-77.