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HealthConnection
Screening colonoscopies recommended
By Christine Taylor, RN, BSN Bath Community Hospital
 | | Christine Taylor, RN, BSN, Surgical Services |
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It's probably not the first time you've heard that early diagnosis of cancer saves lives, but it just can't be said enough. Yearly recommended screenings such as mammography and PSAs can catch cancer in its early stages, but what about the dreaded colonoscopy? We joke about it, and many of us over 50 avoid it, but, did you know that a colonoscopy screening can actually prevent cancer by removing pre-cancerous polyps (or abnormal growths) that can turn cancerous, and that it can be done at the same time as the colonoscopy? That's a good outcome when fighting America's No. 2 cancer killer.
Colorectal cancer affects men and women of all racial and ethnic groups. Half of all men and one-third of all women in the United States will develop cancer during their lifetimes. For men, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer after prostate and lung cancers, and for women, it is the third most common cancer after breast and lung cancers.
This is why it's important to have your recommended colon screenings.
When should I get screened?
According to the Centers for Disease Control, you should begin screening for colorectal cancer soon after turning 50, then continue getting screened at regular intervals. The National Cancer Institute reported in 2005 that since the risk of developing colorectal cancer increases with advancing age, more than 90 percent of cases occur in people aged 50 or older.
Risk factors
As with most diseases, improving your lifestyle will decrease your risk of colon cancer. Lifestyle risk factors that contribute to colorectal cancer are:
• Lack of regular physical activity
• Low fruit and vegetable intake
• A low-fiber and high-fat diet
• Overweight and obesity
• Alcohol consumption
• Tobacco use
At any age, if you have other risk factors such as a personal history of colorectal polyps or colorectal cancer, chronic digestive diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease or a strong family history of the disease, you should talk with your doctor about when you should start screening and how often.
How does it work?
A colonoscopy, is an examination in which the doctor looks at the internal walls of the entire colon through a flexible, lighted instrument called a colonoscope. The scope contains a built-in tiny camera used to view the inside of the entire colon and rectum. The doctor will also remove polyps during the colonoscopy and may want to collect samples of wall tissue or cells for closer examination. The test usually takes less than one hour. Intravenous medication is given to maintain comfort during the exam. Because of the intravenous medications, you are not allowed to drive until the next morning. You will need someone to drive you home. At discharge time, you will be given detailed instructions.
Prior to your colonoscopy, you will be on a clear liquid diet the day before the exam, and you will also need to perform a three-ounce Fleet Phospho-Soda laxative prep.
Most insurance plans and Medicare help pay for colorectal cancer screening for people aged 50 or older. For more information about Medicare coverage, visit the web site www.medicare.gov, or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1- 800-633-4227). TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048.
Editor's note: Christine Taylor is a 1968 diploma graduate from the Chesapeake & Ohio School of Nursing in Clifton Forge. She received her bachelor of science in nursing from Old Dominion University in 1996 and has been the manager of surgical services at Bath Community Hospital since 2002. This information is not intended to take the place of your primary care provider's advice.
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