Sclerodactyly is a localized thickening and tightness of the skin of the fingers or toes that yields a characteristic claw-like appearance and spindle shape of the affected digits, and renders them immobile or of limited mobility. The thickened, discolored patches of skin are called morphea, and may involve connective tissue below the skin, as well as muscle and other tissues. Sclerodactyly is often preceded by months or even years by Raynauds phenomenon when it is part of systemic scleroderma.The term "sclerodactyly" comes from the combination of the Greek words "skleros" meaning hard and "daktylos" meaning a finger or toe – "hard fingers or toes". It is generally associated with systemic scleroderma and mixed connective tissue disease, and auto-immune disorders. Sclerodactyly is one component of the limited cutaneous form of systemic sclerosis (lcSSc), also known as CREST syndrome (CREST is an acronym that stands for calcinosis, Raynauds phenomenon, esophageal dysmotility, sclerodactyly, and telangiectasia.) Sclerodactyly is also one component of Huriez Syndrome, along with palmoplantar keratoderma and skin cancer. Sclerodactyly sometimes arises as a complication of the microvascular changes seen in diabetes mellitus, and is in this case referred to as diabetic sclerodactyly.Treatment of sclerodactyly is by physical therapy, phototherapy, surgery, topical corticosteroids or vitamin D analogues, and systemic immunosuppressive drugs when the condition is part of systemic scleroderma. Localized treatment wont halt systemic disease, but can restore function and cosmetic aspects of the affected digits.
It is believed that some changes in the diet might be helpful in preventing polyps from occurring, but there is no other way to prevent the polyps from developing into cancerous growths than detecting and removing them.Colon polyps as they grow can sometimes cause bleeding within the intestine, which can be detected by an occult blood test. According to American Cancer Society guidelines, people over 50 should have an annual  occult blood test. People in their 50s are recommended to have flexible sigmoidoscopies performed once every 3 to 5 years to detect any abnormal growth which could be an adenomatous polyp. If adenomatous polyps are detected during this procedure, a colonoscopy is recommended. Medical societies recommend colonoscopies every ten years starting at age 50 as a necessary screening practice for colon cancer. The screening provides an accurate image of the intestine and also allows the removal of the polyp, if found. Once an adenomatous polyp is identified during colonoscopy, there are several methods of removal, including using a snare or a heating device. Colonoscopies are preferred over sigmoidoscopies because they allow the examination of the entire colon and can detect polyps in the upper colon, where more than half of polyps occur.It has been statistically demonstrated that screening programs are effective in reducing the number of deaths caused by colon cancer due to adenomatous polyps. The risk of complications associated with colonoscopies is approximately 0.35 percent, compared to a lifetime risk of developing colon cancer of around 6 percent.