Screening Guidelines

You are 50 years of age or over, you have had one of the symptoms described, and/or your mom, dad, sister or brother has been diagnosed with colon cancer, and it is time to be screened.

Here is what you need to do:

Call your family physician and talk to them about screening,

or

call one of the gastroenterologists/colorectal surgeons that perform colonoscopies and talk to them about scheduling a “screening colonoscopy”.

There are several screening methods that your doctor may discuss with you:

• A colonoscopy is a procedure that the doctor uses a thin, flexible, lighted tube to look inside the entire colon. On the end of the tube is a tiny video camera that shows the images from inside the colon on a television screen. This tube is inserted into the rectum and guided through the colon. The procedure takes about 15 – 20 minutes. Your doctor will give you medicine to help you sleep during the procedure. If a polyp is found the doctor will remove it and send it to the lab to find out what kind of polyp it is. Your doctor will let you know after the colonoscopy when you should come back for another colonoscopy.Colonoscopy needed every 10 years: Watch Video
• A sigmoidoscopy is similar to a colonoscopy except it looks at the lower parts of the colon, called the sigmoid colon and the descending colon, for signs of cancer or polyps. This exam takes 10 to 20 minutes. This exam is generally performed by your own physician. The patient usually doesn't need medicine, but this may be an option you can discuss with your doctor. Sometimes this procedure is followed by a Double Contrast Barium Enema. Flexible Sigmoidoscopy needed every 5 years (do you have any thing for this, from us?)
• This is completed at a radiology center (x-ray) an enema is given with a liquid called barium, followed by an enema with air. The lining of the colon is coated with barium and the doctor can see the colon on x-ray.Double Contrast Barium Enema needed every 5 years (Link to information)
• A CT scan is an x-ray. A computer produces images of the entire colon which are displayed on a computer screen. This test is good for those who cannot have a colonoscopy due to medication or disease process.CT Colonography (virtual colonoscopy) needed every 5 years
• Your doctor will give you 3 slides Each time you have a bowel movement for the next 3 times you will be instructed to get some of the stool and smear it on the back of the card. After all 3 cards are completed (within 2 weeks) the cards are returned to the doctor’s office. The office will add a liquid to see if they can identify any old blood in your stool samples. The doctor may complete one slide while you are in the office. All three slides need to be completed. If any of the slides are positive a colonoscopy is needed to find the source of the blood.Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT) needed yearly

Recommendations are from the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org and the American Cancer Society (ACS) www.cancer.org