ACG Updates Colorectal Cancer Screening Guidelines

In their new colorectal screening guidelines, the American College of Gastroenterology, says that colonoscopy, beginning at age 50 and performed every 10 years, is the “preferred” screening test for colorectal cancer.  They recommend that physicians first offer this test alone rather than a menu of options.

However, if patients are not willing to have a colonoscopy, they support offering:

• Preferably. a cancer prevention test: Either flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 to 10 years  or CT colonography every 5 years.
• A test primarily for cancer detection: Preferred test is fecal immunohistochemical test for blood (FIT).

They further recommend that African Americans begin testing at 45 rather than 50. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on March 18th, 2009
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | 2 Comments »
Tags: colonoscopy, screening

What’s the Risk of Cancer after Polyps are Removed?

Five years after a colonoscopy found and removed polyps, one in ten patients will have a new advanced polyp and six in every thousand will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer.

Pooling studies that followed up nearly 10,000 men and women who had a polyp removed during a colonoscopy (polypectomy), researchers found 1,082 with a later advanced adenoma and 58 with colorectal cancer.  Median follow-up time was 47 months. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on March 11th, 2009
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | No Comments »
Tags: colonoscopy, colorectal cancer risk, polypectomy

North Carolina Gastroenterologists Offer Free Colonoscopies

Digestive Health Specialists, located in Winston-Salem NC, will provide free screening colonoscopies to 50 people impacted by the economic turndown.  Patients who are over 50, have not been screened, and  have lost jobs and health insurance are eligible to apply.

Colonoscopies will be performed in Digestive Health Specialist facilities in Winstom-Salem, Kernersville, and Thomasville on March 14, 2009.  The program is part of March Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on March 4th, 2009
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | No Comments »
Tags: colonoscopy, financial assistance

Virtual Colonoscopy or Colonoscopy

One of the discussions at GI Symposium was whether virtual colonoscopy is ready for prime time. What is that? Well, it is a CT scan which evaluates the colon for polyps and other changes instead of using a scope to enter the colon and look directly.

It is often misunderstood that the preparation for these two procedures are different. They are not. You need a clean colon whether you get a CT colonoscopy or a real one. Continue reading…

Posted by Heinz-Josef Lenz, MD on January 22nd, 2009
Posted in: From the Desk of Dr. Lenz | 5 Comments »
Tags: colonoscopy, CT colonography

Looking Out For the Symptoms of Colon Cancer

Colorectal cancer develops with few, if any, symptoms at first.

It depends a little on the location of the colon cancer. If the cancer is closer to the anus (left side), symptoms may include blood in or on the stool, a change in bowel habits, stools that are narrower than usual and general weakness and weight loss. These symptoms are more typical for colon cancer and physicians would easily recommend a colonoscopy for further work up. However if the tumor is on the right side, almost a foot away from the anus, the symptoms may be more  general such as unexplained stomach discomfort, frequent gas, pains, or indigestion, unexplained weight loss and chronic fatigue.

Continue reading…

Posted by Heinz-Josef Lenz, MD on January 5th, 2009
Posted in: From the Desk of Dr. Lenz | 3 Comments »
Tags: colonoscopy, screening, symptoms