Familial Adenomatous Polyposis

Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is an inherited disorder characterized by cancer of the large intestine (colon) and rectum. Because of the association between cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) inhibitors (celecoxib is a member of this drug family) and coronary artery disease, celecoxib is no longer widely used.in patients with FAP who have had colectomy with ileoanal anastomosis, sulindac or celecoxib may be beneficial in reducing the size and the number of adenomatous polyps in the remaining rectum. The use of other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and similar drugs is being studied. Estimates vary from 1 case in 6,850 persons to 1 case in 31,250 persons.