Over 150,000 Americans will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer this year. Some of them will endure aggressive treatment and still not survive.
Many of those diagnosed with colon cancer may have been able to prevent it altogether with one simple test: a colonoscopy.
Colon cancer is the second most common cause of cancer deaths for adults in America. Many of those could have been prevented if the cancer had been found in an earlier stage. But the early stages of colon cancer are easily missed because many people don’t have any symptoms.
When symptoms do appear, they might mimic the symptoms of other gastrointestinal conditions. Symptoms may include:
If you experience some of those symptoms, it’s easy to think they might be caused by more common conditions, like hemorrhoids or irritable bowel syndrome. An assumption like that can be catastrophic. It’s critical to see your doctor if you’re experiencing any of the above symptoms.
The only way to know for sure that you don’t have colon cancer is to have a colonoscopy. The current recommendation is to begin screening at age 45.
This age recommendation is supported by:
Everyone should continue having colonoscopies regularly every 3-10 years until the age of 85. The number of years between colonoscopies will be determined by your colonoscopy results.
Stool-based screening is an option for some people, but that type of test only screens for blood or abnormal DNA in the stool. Stool-based tests don’t reliably detect pre-cancerous polyps.
The only test that allows your gastroenterologist to see the entire colon and remove any existing polyps at the same time is a colonoscopy. It’s a test that can prevent cancer as well as detect it.
People ignore the recommended age for colonoscopy for a variety of reasons, like:
An estimated 15-40% of adults in America have colon polyps. If they are not found and removed, many of those polyps will become cancerous.
Stop colon cancer before it begins – schedule your colonoscopy today.
If you have not registered with the new gPortal yet please select the Register/Learn More button for instructions on registering.
Please note that your current /old patient portal credentials will become inactive after August 31, 2022, so update your account today to avoid any disruption in accessibility.
