March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month- Schedule Your Screening Today

Colon and rectal cancer screening is a way in which doctors check the colon and rectum for signs of cancer or growths that might become cancer. We recommend that people begin having colon cancer screenings starting at age 50. Some people need to be screened earlier depending on symptoms or family history.

The goal of screening is to find and remove polyps before they become cancer and detect it early before it spreads. The most common form of screening is an outpatient procedure called a colonoscopy. Colonoscopy allows the doctor to see inside the colon to biopsy or remove any polyps. This test gives the most accurate results. Cancers and polys can bleed. So, another screening test is a stool test for blood where the patient takes home a sample collection kit. The stool sample is then tested in the clinic to determine if blood is in the stool. If blood is found then a follow up colonoscopy is recommended.

After screening is complete, you will be placed in a risk category for how often to repeat screening. That can range anywhere from every 3 years for higher risk patients to every 10 years for lower risk patients. Please call to discuss which test would be best for you. Early detection and screening is important.