The Benefits of a Colonoscopy
12/9/2022
TUCSON, AZ (Dec. 9, 2022) – When we think of cancer prevention, we typically think of breast or lung cancer. But colorectal cancer (cancer of the large intestine and lower part of the digestive system) is expected to cause more than 52,000 deaths in America in 2022. It is increasingly more common in younger adults.
Early detection, however, dramatically increases the survival rate in people of all ages. If colorectal cancer is found before it has spread to other areas of the body, the five-year survival rate is about 90 percent. If not caught before this point, the survival rate is much lower – about 14 percent.
“The best treatment is prevention,” said Shane Svoboda, M.D., a colorectal and general surgeon at Northwest Medical Center. “My gold standard for screening is a colonoscopy – which allows us to see inside the colon and rectum – starting at the age of 45. Patients with a family history of colon cancer should start screening colonoscopies 10 years before the earliest age of diagnosis.”
The American Cancer Society also recommends a routine colonoscopy screening beginning at age 45. A gastroenterologist performs this simple procedure by inserting a thin, flexible tube into the lower digestive tract while the patient is sedated or asleep. The tube has a light and a tiny camera that transmits images of the patient’s intestinal lining to a computer screen at the bedside. Alternatively, some patients may benefit from an at-home colon cancer screening kit if recommended by a physician.
If polyps (growths) are found during the exam, they are quickly and painlessly removed and later tested in a laboratory for signs of cancer. While polyps are common, and usually harmless, in adults, most colorectal cancer begins as a polyp, so removing polyps early is important.
The doctor may also take samples from any abnormal-looking tissues – a biopsy – so it can be examined for signs of disease and treated, if necessary.
Your risk level for colon cancer varies according to your age, sex and ethnic background, as well as your overall health and lifestyle. Factors that affect your risk level include:
- Advancing age (over age 50).
- Being male.
- Being African American.
- A family or personal history of polyps or colorectal cancer.
- A high-fat diet.
- Having diabetes, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis or other digestive disease.
A colonoscopy screening is usually a covered “wellness” test – and most plans cover a colonoscopy completely as a follow-up test or diagnostic tool.
To learn more about colonoscopy with a Northwest Healthcare provider, visit https://www.nwalliedphysicians.com/gastro.
Back