Biological, Genetic, and Lifestyle Risk Factors for Developing Colorectal Adenomas or Polyps in Participants Undergoing Colonoscopy

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Scheduled to undergo colonoscopy at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center or the Tennessee Valley Veterans Administration Medical Center * No prior genetic colorectal cancer syndromes or colorectal adenoma PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * Must have a permanent residence and a telephone number * Able to speak and understand English * No prior inflammatory bowel disease * No prior cancer other than nonmelanoma skin cancer * Not a current resident in a correctional facility * No other rare exclusion that would prevent the collection of study data (e.g., extensive memory loss for past exposures), impair ability to provide informed consent, or make the participant an atypical colonoscopy patient (e.g., colonoscopy for organ transplant evaluation) * No prior extensive knowledge or contact with the investigation/protocol/hypotheses (the study collaborator or reviewer) PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * No prior partial or complete colon resection * No concurrent participation in a clinical trial involving the prevention of colon polyps