Colon Cancer Screening: When Should You Get Tested?
According to research, colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers in the United States. Most people are not aware of this disease and its treatment. Colon cancer is highly treatable if diagnosed at an early stage. You can remove the polyps before they tend toward malignancy.
Various colon cancer screening options available in Oklahoma detect polyps in your colon. Some of them also remove the pre-cancerous polyp and save your life. All you need is a little bit of awareness about colon cancer. In this article, we have discussed what colon cancer is, who should do colon cancer screening in OKC, symptoms of colon cancer, types of screening, and at which age you should do it.
What Is Colon Cancer?
Colon cancer is a type of cancer that occurs in the rectum or the colon. The problem first arises in the colon as a small polyp. With time, it gradually turns into cancer. But in many cases, the polyps are not cancerous and never will be.
What Things Have the American Cancer Society Updated Recently?
The ACS has included a recent recommendation in their guideline about colon cancer screening. Previously, they suggested starting screening at 50, but now they recommend the perfect colon cancer screening age is 45. Following their recommendation can save you or your family member from cancer.
Average and High Risk of Developing Cancer- What Is It?
If you don’t have any previous history of cancer in your family and are healthy, that means you have an average risk of developing cancer. In that case, you should do colon cancer screening at 45 and continue until 75. After that, you should consult your doctor to know whether it is necessary to continue the physical examination.
But people with higher risk should do it quite often and they also start the screening before the age of 45. Individuals with a family history of colorectal cancer and inflammatory bowel disease have a higher risk of getting cancer.
What Types of Colon Cancer Screening Are There?
There are various types of screening to detect cancer or polyp in the rectum or colon. But the main concern here is to get screened, no matter the test you choose. However, there are mainly two types of screening- stool-based and visual exams.
Stool Based Test
Multi-targeted stool DNA test
Highly sensitive fecal immunochemical test
Highly sensitive guaiac-based fecal occult blood test
Visual Exams
Flexible sigmoidoscopy every five years
Colonoscopy every 10 years
CT colonography in every five years.
What Happens During Colonoscopy Screening?
First of all, the gastroenterologist inserts a scope in your colon and sees whether there are signs of a cancerous polyp. If required, the expert may give you sedation to avoid the pain. Once they find any polyp, remove it and send it to a lab for further examination. The colon cancer screening may take 30 minutes to get complicated.
Get Screened Now!
You can also take an essential part in reducing colon cancer in the states by spreading the importance of screening. As a result, more people will understand how screening can save them from having cancer. Anyway, if you want to do a screening, contact us at Screen The City in OKC.
**Disclaimer: This blog content does not offer a doctor's advice and creates no relationship between any patient and care provider.
