Colonoscopy: Gold Standard for Colon Cancer Screening
For those with family history of colon cancer or polyps, colonoscopy can be a life saver. This procedure allows for monitoring and diagnosis and - if polyps are found - immediate treatment that can make a life of difference for a patient. The sad reality is that despite our access to this screening tool, the rate of colon diagnosis has not dramatically reduced, which means patients with colon cancer risk are probably not getting screened.
A colonoscopy is not a walk in the park. I had one about a year ago, and honestly, the preparation for the colonoscopy hurt worse than the actual procedure. This is because I was knocked out by the Demerol for the most of the procedure, but I was wide awake the entire Sunday that I was “prepping my colon” for the procedure. Spending my weekend sprinting to the bathroom is not my idea of fun, but ultimately I was glad I got screened for my own peace of mind. For those of you considering a colonoscopy, may I suggest using heavy moisturizers on your sensitive areas for the prep the day before? Source: Reuters Health.
Related Stories
POSTED IN: general commentary
2 opinions for Colonoscopy: Gold Standard for Colon Cancer Screening
Hsien Lei
Mar 15, 2006 at 4:15 am
As with most things, the anticipation is worse than the actual event. Hooray for you getting your screening done!
Susie Cohen
Mar 10, 2007 at 1:05 am
You’re right. The stats show that people are not getting screened and that’s because of the nature of the screening test. More non-invasive options are available like the DNA stool test mentioned earlier on this site. While it may not have the accuracy of the colonoscopy it offers a more patient friendly approach to screening and actually quite impressive results (88% sensitivity)– better results than a mammogram. Doctors can’t find the disease unless people are willing to be screened.
Have an opinion? Leave a comment: