Familial adenomatous polyposis is a generalized growth disorder. The predominant cause of death is, however, colorectal cancer in the untreated patient. Prophylactic colectomy, whether it be proctocolectomy and ileostomy, colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis, or colectomy with an ileoanal pouch procedure, will dramatically reduce the mortality from large bowel cancer. It is important, however, to realize that because of the generalized nature of this condition and the possibility of developing extracolonic malignancy, the surgical approach chosen should not be considered one that will necessarily cure the disease. Colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis still leaves the potential for rectal cancer. However, death from rectal cancer is distinctly uncommon. The risk of death following ileorectal anastomosis from rectal cancer is actually less than the risk of dying from cancer of the duodenum or from desmoid tumors. Both of these lesions are unpredictable in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis, and usually occur following the patient's prophylactic colectomy. With this low incidence of death from rectal cancer following ileorectal anastomosis it would seem to be debatable whether the complexities of the ileoanal pouch procedure together with its longer recovery and higher complication rate are justified in the routine management of young people with an early diagnosis of familial adenomatous polyposis.