Colonoscopy screening can save lives
March 2nd, 2010Over the past 15 years the number of deaths from colorectal cancer is declining.
An important factor in the decline has certainly been the increased use of colonoscopy as a screening tool for early detection of colon-rectal cancer.
Studies have shown an increase of 80% in the use of colonoscopy among Americans in the years 1997-2002.
The decrease in the frequency of colon cancer and the increasing rates of colonoscopy are not arandomness. During a colonoscopy screening, doctors can remove the lesions of the colon called polyps. Although these polyps are usually not cancer at the time of withdrawal, there is a possibility that, if left in the body, can become cancerous.
Thus, removal of polyps during a colonoscopy screening actually leads to a reduction in the incidence of cancer.
For most people, is screening for colorectal cancer is recommended starting at 50 years, there may beOther factors that may lead to your doctor recommends a screen at an early age.
In addition to colonoscopy, there are other ways to screen for colon-rectal cancer.
Yes, the American Cancer Society recommends that one of five different methods for screening for colorectal cancer:
1) An annual stool (feces), fecal occult blood test or immunochemical tests .*
2) a flexible sigmoidoscopy every five years.
3) one yearstool (feces), fecal occult blood test or immunochemical tests and flexible sigmoidoscopy every five years .**
4) A double contrast barium enema every five years.
5) colonoscopy every 10 years.
* If you are using the faecal occult blood test, the recommendation that the take-home sample method should be used.
** The combination of both fecal occult blood test or fecal immunochemical test, and a flexible sigmoidoscopy, it is preferable to usetested individually.
If any non-colonoscopy test is positive, so it should perform a total colonoscopy.
Of course, in future, may not be necessary for patients to have a traditional colonoscopy test for screening for colorectal cancer. A technique called virtual colonoscopy to be developed.
In a virtual colonoscopy, air is pumped into the colon, and from outside the body, high-resolution CT slices are taken. The resulting imagesexamined for polyps and tumors.
If the technique can be developed, it would be far more popular as a screening test because it is more convenient for the majority of patients did not require intravenous sedation.
Yes, I remember that screening for colorectal cancer, both with conventional colonoscopy or one of these other methods that can save lives.