Colonoscopy

Colon polyps are abnormal growths within the colon (large intestine). They usually cause no symptoms, but if undetected may become cancerous. This is why patients 50 years of age, or with a strong family history of polyps or colon cancer should be screened via colonoscopy.

The procedure is painless, and polyps, if found can usually be removed during the colonoscopy. A colonoscopy is a method of examining the full lining of the colon and rectum. The bowel must first be cleared with a preparation prescribed by your physician. Most of the time the procedure is done on an outpatient basis. The colonoscope is inserted into the rectum and is advanced to the portion of the colon where the small intestine meets the colon. The entire procedure typically takes less than 1 hour.

Many people will avoid a colonoscopy because of the preparation time before the procedure. Past research states an 11% jump in screening rates for colorectal cancer from 2002 to 2010. The proportion of adults being screened increased from 54% to 65%.

“Colorectal cancer is the number two cancer killer in the U.S., with more than 55,000 deaths annually. While it is highly preventable and curable if detected early, the disease often produces no symptoms, make it a silent killer. More than 90% of those diagnosed with with colorectal cancer are over the age of 50. In addition, research shows that up to 2.3% of people with bleeding hemorrhoids also have colorectal cancer” – CRH O’Regan System.