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Why should I be screened for colon cancer?
By Michelle Khoury, DO
October 12, 2015
Many of my patients ask why they
should be screened for colon cancer. They
tell me that they feel fine and don't want to look for trouble. They tell me they don't have any relatives
with colon cancer, so they don't think they are at risk. They tell me they don’t have the time or
money for a colonoscopy. I understand all of these
objections and concerns, but colon cancer is the third leading cause of cancer
death in this country. We can have a big
impact by screening for this disease in healthy people over the age of 50. According to the American Cancer Society,
those whose colon cancer is detected by screening have a 90% survival
rate. In contrast, those whose colon
cancer is detected by symptoms have a 10% survival rate. This is a disease that can be cured when caught
in its asymptomatic stages. Even though you may have no
symptoms, simply being over the age of 50 puts you at risk for colon
cancer. The US Preventative Services
Task Force recommends screening for colon cancer between the ages of 50 and
75. If you are older than 75, it is an
individual decision to discuss with your healthcare provider. A colonoscopy is not the only way
to screen for colon cancer. The other
method is a stool test, called a FIT test or hemoccult test. These are cards that we give you at the
doctor’s office. You give a sample of
your stool on the card. It requires 1 -
3 stool samples, depending upon the type of test. You turn these in to the doctor’s office and
we test for microscopic blood in the stool.
If it is clear, you are covered for colon cancer screening for one
year. This is an annual test in order to
be valid. If you test positive for
microscopic blood, you will be sent for a complete colonoscopy. A colonoscopy is a scope of the
whole colon. During the test, the doctor
is looking for polyps which can go on to become cancers. If they find any, they can remove the polyps
during the colonoscopy. In this way, the
colonoscopy prevents cancer as well as screens for cancer. If you have a clean colon without any polyps,
you are covered for 10 years of colon cancer screening. If you have a polyp removed, you will be
asked to repeat the colonoscopy in 3-5 years depending upon the type and number
of polyps.
In order to have an adequate
colonoscopy, the person has to prepare the colon the day prior to the
test. The person is on a clear liquid
diet and has to drink a laxative that cleans out the colon. My patients tell me that this is the hard
part. Actually going through the
colonoscopy the next day is a breeze.
I encourage you to have a
discussion with your healthcare provider about your need for colon cancer
screening. Also discuss with your older
relatives their history of colon cancer.
If you discover that a family member has had colon cancer, your need to
be screened is increased.
Dr Michelle Khoury is a family physician at Madison Health Primary
Care in London. To make an appointment,
please call 740-845-7500. The practice
is currently accepting new patients, including adults and children. |
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