INDIANAPOLIS – Colorectal cancer may not be on your short list of great conversation topics. But in the end, discussing how to screen for the disease with your family doctor could be a lifesaving decision.That’s because testing can find precancerous growths, or polyps, which doctors can remove. And testing can detect cancer before any of is symptoms emerge.
“Colon cancer screening with colonoscopy is a safe, mostly painless, and potentially lifesaving procedure that should be performed on any person age 50 or older, regardless of whether or not they have symptoms or problems,” said Michael Morelli, M.D., director of the St. Francis Colorectal Center of Excellence. “This should be done at a younger age if there is a significant family history of colon polyps or cancer in the family especially first degree relatives.”
Screenings usually are not painful. In some cases, sedation may be given to make you more comfortable during the procedure. A gastroenterologist, a physician who specializes in diagnosing and treating problems of the digestive
system, or a specially trained colorectal surgeon should perform the tests.
Recent news reports have highlighted in-home stool testing kits that can be mailed to a lab for results. Morelli described these as “second-line recommendation to be used only for those who absolutely will not or cannot have a colonoscopy.”
He added that screening in any fashion is important, but emphasized that colonoscopy is the preferred method of screening.
March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. The American Cancer Society estimates that as many as 146,000 new cases will emerge in 2010.
“Tens of thousands of lives could be saved each year if every American were tested as recommended,” said Morelli.
For more information about colorectal cancer prevention, screening and treatment at St. Francis, call 317-782-7145, or visit www.StFrancisHospitals.org/cancer.
