Preventing Colorectal Cancer: Screening Is Key!

Main Category: Colorectal Cancer
Also Included In: Cancer / Oncology;  GastroIntestinal / Gastroenterology;  MRI / PET / Ultrasound
Article Date: 10 Mar 2007 - 0:00 PDT

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March is "National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month" and the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE), representing the specialists in colorectal cancer screening and other digestive diseases, has an important public health message: Colorectal cancer is largely preventable through screening. If you are over 50 or have a family history of colorectal cancer, talk to your doctor about getting screened.

"The important thing to know about colorectal cancer is that screening absolutely saves lives. Of course, any screening method is better than none, but of all the screening methods, colonoscopy is the most effective for two reasons. It allows us to see the entire colon and it also allows us to remove polyps before they turn into cancer," said Dr. Mark Pochapin, ASGE spokesperson and the Director of The Jay Monahan Center for Gastrointestinal Health and Associate Professor of Medicine at Weill Medical College of Cornell University.

There are a number of examinations, tests, and screening methods used by doctors to detect colorectal cancer. Here is a guide to the various methods available.

-- Stool blood test (fecal occult blood test, or FOBT, and fecal immunohistochemical test, or FIT): This test is used to detect invisible amounts of blood passed during a bowel movement. Several types of take-home kits are available for gathering the sample. The specimen is then sent to a laboratory for analysis. The test is simple and inexpensive. However, it does not detect cancer, only the presence of blood -- which may result from other conditions. If a test is positive, a complete colonoscopy must be performed.

-- Flexible sigmoidoscopy (flex-sig): By passing a slender, lighted tube into the lower part of the colon through the rectum, the gastroenterologist views the rectum and about half of the colon for signs of polyps or cancer. This procedure is less expensive than more complete tests, such as colonoscopy. Flexible sigmoidoscopy can only examine part of the colon and, if a polyp is found, a complete colonoscopy must be done to remove it.

-- Barium enema with air contrast: After laxatives and an enema are given, a chalky substance is introduced into the colon, along with air to open up the colon, allowing better X-rays to be taken. Barium enema is not as effective for detecting polyps and cancers as colonoscopy. In addition, if a polyp is found, a complete colonoscopy must be done to remove it.

-- Colonoscopy: The colonoscopy is considered by experts to be the "gold standard" of colon screening methods. A colonoscope is a longer version of the sigmoidoscope and is able to reach and view the entire colon. After bowel preparation is completed to clean the colon, the scope is passed through the rectum to examine the entire length of the colon. Colonoscopy is typically performed under sedation. The most important benefit of the colonoscopy is that, along with being able view the colon, it allows the doctor to perform several tasks during the procedure, including taking biopsies, removing polyps, and cauterizing sources of bleeding.

ASGE screening guidelines recommend that, beginning at age 50, both men and women at average risk for developing colorectal cancer should have a colonoscopy every 10 years. People with higher risk factors, such as a family history of colon cancer, should begin earlier. Patients are advised to discuss their risk factors with their physician to determine when to begin routine colorectal cancer screening and how often they should be screened. To learn more about colorectal cancer screening or to find an ASGE expert in your area, visit http://www.screen4coloncancer.org.

Remember, if you are over 50 or have a family history of colorectal cancer, talk to your doctor about getting screened. It could save your life!

About the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy

The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE), founded in 1941, is the leader in advancing patient care and digestive health by promoting excellence in gastrointestinal endoscopy. Physicians and surgeons who are members of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) have highly specialized training in endoscopic procedures of the digestive tract. ASGE, with more than 10,000 physician members worldwide, promotes the highest standards for endoscopic training and practice, fosters endoscopic research, recognizes distinguished contributions to endoscopy, and is the foremost resource for endoscopic education. Visit http://www.asge.org, http://www.askasge.org or http://www.screen4coloncancer.org for more information.

American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
http://www.askasge.org

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