Colonoscopy:
A Crucial Means To A Healthier End

Too many stories start with, "I was diagnosed with progressive cancer. If only I had known about it sooner," while too few end with, "I went for a cancer screening and caught the disease early. Because of that, the prognosis is good."

Regular screening for cancer is the best way to prevent it or to catch it early, when it is most treatable. Colonoscopy, the gold standard test for colorectal cancer, has contributed to the declining death rate and number of cases from this disease. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), colorectal cancer, or cancer of the large intestine, is the third most common cancer found in men and women in the United States, and about 1 in 19 people are expected to get it in their lifetime. The ACS estimated 146,970 new cases of colorectal cancer in 2009 as well as 49,920 deaths related to the disease, but has also reported a steady decline in these statistics over the past 15 years. This decline coincides with the increase in colorectal cancer screening, which includes colonoscopy, as regular screening can locate polyps (growths) and remove them before they turn into cancer as well as find cancer in an early stage, when it is easier to cure.

Regular Colonoscopies Recommended

The ACS recommends that, beginning at age 50, both men and women who do not have an increased risk of colorectal cancer should go for a colonoscopy every 10 years. Earlier screening is recommended for people who have an increased risk of colorectal cancer, such as those with a family history of the disease.

What A Colonoscopy Entails

"Colonoscopy is a type of endoscopic screening procedure that enables the physician to look inside the entire length of the rectum and colon for polyps, ulcers, tumors, abnormal areas of inflammation, bleeding, or cancer using a colonoscope," says David Schwartz, MD, a board certified gastroenterologist at Sturdy Memorial. "A colonoscope is a type of endoscope - a thin, tube-like instrument with a light and video camera to view the procedure on a display monitor - that is inserted through the rectum to view the colon. Special instruments can be passed through the colonoscope to remove or biopsy polyps or tissue samples, which are checked under a microscope for signs of cancer."

According to Dr. Schwartz, "The test itself usually takes about 30 minutes, although if a polyp is found and removed, it may take longer." The colonoscope is lubricated, inserted through the rectum, and passed all the way to the beginning of the colon, called the cecum. "The remainder of the procedure involves the physician withdrawing the colonoscope to view the inner walls of the colon and rectum."

Preparation for a colonoscopy involves taking laxatives (liquids, pills, or both) to empty and cleanse the colon and rectum the day before the test. Food or drink is usually not permitted after midnight the night before the test, but specific instructions regarding laxatives, medications, food, and beverages taken within two days before the procedure are provided by the physician. Before the colonoscopy begins, patients are given sedating medicine for comfort. Patients should arrange for someone to drive them home because the sedative used may affect the ability to drive after the test.

The bowel preparation before the test can be unpleasant and the test itself may be uncomfortable, but sedation helps to prevent discomfort and most people feel normal once the effects of the sedative wear off. "If brief and slight discomfort from a colonoscopy performed every 10 years after age 50 is the only drawback to helping detect and prevent colorectal cancer, and saving lives," says Dr. Schwartz, "then it's well worth it to take the test."

Colonoscopy At Sturdy Memorial Hospital

In its commitment to providing patients with the most sophisticated and advanced diagnostic testing and treatments available for colorectal cancer, Sturdy Memorial Hospital offers resources to prevent, detect, and treat the disease for members our community. Board certified gastroenterologists assess and evaluate each patient's risk for cancer, and perform colonoscopies in the Hospital's newly constructed Endoscopy Suite.

Looking for a gastroenterologist? Click here to see a listing of our gastroenterologists accepting new patients, as well as the entire Colorectal Cancer Care Team. For more information about colonoscopy and colorectal cancer, visit the ACS website.