Study of Biomarkers in Blood & Tissue Samples From Patients With Colorectal Cancer or Polyps & Patients Without Polyps

RATIONALE: Studying samples of blood and tissue in the laboratory from patients with cancer, patients with colorectal polyps and from patients without polyps may help doctors learn more about changes that occur in DNA and identify biomarkers related to cancer.
PURPOSE: This research study is looking at biomarkers in blood and tissue samples from patients with colorectal cancer or colorectal polyps and from patients without polyps (healthy volunteers).