Fact is, the oncology cartel (including family practice in this respect) acts as though it is inevitable that pre-cancers progress to cancers. No suggestion to the contrary is allowed. It is not inevitable and the probability is exaggerated. In fact, with respect to colorectal cancer, the incidence is only about 25 out of 100,000. So you know that a whole bunch of those precancerous polyps did not progress to malignancy.
I probably have 50 small "pre-cancerous" skin lesions, many microscopic. They'd rip them all out if I gave them the chance. But my mother has the same stuff and she's made it to 96 with no malignancies (had one colonoscopy years ago; said she wouldn't do it again).
Also, your anecdote presupposes that one wants to be "saved" from a malignancy or other disastrous condition. I don't.
Actually they were quite open about the fact that some of the polyps don’t progress, types 1 - 3 might or might not, type there’s no might. He had type 4. Luckily it was yanked in time, oncologist kicked him out of his office because he only has cancer patients.
I don’t see why one would want to die of colon cancer when it’s easily avoided. I’ve lost 2 friends to it and 1 that avoided it, avoiding it the most more enjoyable path. Of course part of it is a matter of age, if your mom is 96 then you’re probably in your 70s, not a bad age to say it’s been a good trip. My friend who had stage 4 polyps found was in his late 40s, my friends who died of colon cancer were mid 30s and late 20s, not good ages for avoidable death.