Colonoscopy The Sole Method Of Colon Cancer Screening

Oct, 2022 - By SMI

The preparation and difficulty of colonoscopies make them unpopular, but because they may find and remove precancerous polyps, they are thought to be the best screening method.

Due to its ease of use and ability to be performed at home, stool tests have become more and more common in recent decades.

Stool tests are effective in finding cancer, but they don't catch early precancerous growths, and a positive test necessitates a further colonoscopy, according to Mendelsohn.

According to the Mayo Clinic, one of the few methods for screening for colorectal cancer is a colonoscopy, which is an examination to look for abnormalities in the colon and rectum.

Doctors may see the whole inside of the colon during the surgery by inserting a long, flexible tube with a tiny video camera at the tip in the rectum.

Colonoscopies last between 15 and 20 minutes, require little recovery time, and the majority of patients' sedation wears off within an hour, according to Manz.

He claimed that while the operation is not unpleasant, some patients may feel gassy or bloated afterward.

The Preventive Services Task Force advises colorectal cancer screenings for all persons between the ages of 45 and 75.

According to the Centers for Illness Control and Prevention, certain people may need to start testing sooner if they have inflammatory bowel disease, a family history of specific diseases, or other disorders that raise their risk of colorectal history.

After their initial screening, those who aren't at higher risk should have a colonoscopy every ten years, according to medical professionals.

Mendelsohn noted that according to recommendations, the largest risk factors for colon cancer include a family history of the disease, a genetic predisposition to the disease, a history of precancerous polyps, a history of inflammatory bowel disease, and radiation to the abdomen.