I misplaced my aunt and grandfather to colon most cancers. And I’ve had two buddies die from colon most cancers of their 50s — one left behind 4 kids. So I didn’t hesitate to get a colonoscopy. I do know it’s a lifesaving software. But so, too, are at-home stool checks.
These days, now we have a number of choices for colon most cancers screening. Each has execs and cons, however there isn’t one single check that’s greatest for all folks and conditions, explains UVA Health colon most cancers knowledgeable Cynthia Yoshida, MD.
“The best colon cancer screening is the test that gets done,” she stresses. “They’re all great tests. They’ve all been documented to save lives from colorectal cancer.”
Know Your Risk for Colon Cancer
Which colon most cancers screening you employ is a private alternative. But it is vital to contemplate whether or not you’re at common or excessive danger for colon most cancers.
Because of my household historical past, colonoscopy was the fitting alternative for me. But if you happen to’re at common danger, you possibly can select any of the 5 checks out there for colon most cancers screening. And begin by age 45.
So how do you resolve? Read our fast information beneath, the place we break down your choices and need-to-know particulars on each.
Guide to Colon Cancer Screening Options
If you need assistance, speak to your major care supplier in regards to the screening greatest for you.
Colonoscopy
For years, colonoscopy was the principle colorectal most cancers screening possibility. And it’s efficient — not solely at discovering most cancers early. “If you are more interested in both detecting colorectal cancer and preventing cancer, then colonoscopy is really the way to go,” says Andrew Wolf, MD, a UVA Health major care doctor. He additionally chaired the American Cancer Society committee that developed colorectal most cancers screening pointers.
Colonoscopy screening is really useful for anybody with a excessive danger for colon most cancers. This contains having:
- Family historical past of colorectal most cancers
- History of inflammatory bowel illness
- Certain genetic syndromes
How colonoscopy works: You’ll must drink a liquid to scrub out your colon and rectum the day earlier than. On the day of the process, you’ll must take day off work and have somebody drive you dwelling.
You’ll be given anesthesia to go to sleep. A physician then inserts a scope with a digital camera to take an in depth have a look at your total colon and rectum.
If they discover polyps (irregular growths that may flip into most cancers), they’ll take away them throughout the identical process. They’ll ship any polyps to a lab for testing.
How typically? If no polyps are discovered, you usually received’t want one other colonoscopy for 10 years.
Flexible Sigmoidoscopy
This check is sort of a colonoscopy. But it solely appears to be like on the backside 1/3 of your colon (sigmoid part). So a versatile sigmoidoscopy just isn’t generally used to display for colon most cancers. But it may be vital in locations the place colonoscopy is probably not out there, Yoshida says.
At-Home Stool Test
It’s fascinating that our poop hides hidden clues about our well being.
At-home stool checks are handy if you happen to’re at common danger for colon most cancers:
- They’re straightforward to do within the privateness of your rest room.
- Insurance covers the associated fee. You don’t pay postage for mailing.
- There’s no day-long prep wanted like with a colonoscopy.
It’s greatest to get an at-home stool screening check with a health care provider’s order. Many medical doctors’ workplaces inventory them. But you can even get them mailed to your property.
2 Options for Your At-Home Stool Test
There are 2 essential forms of at-home stool checks:
Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT)
This equipment appears to be like for hidden blood within the stool, which might be an early signal of colorectal most cancers.
How it really works: The equipment contains all the pieces you want, and the method takes just some moments. When you’re able to have a bowel motion:
- Place a chunk of tissue over your bathroom.
- Dip a wand into the handed stool.
- Seal the wand inside a tube.
- Mail it in for testing.
How typically? Doctors advocate a FIT screening every year.
FIT-Fecal DNA (Cologuard®)
This stool check appears to be like for greater than blood in your stool. It additionally appears to be like for altered DNA. Both blood and altered DNA might be early indicators of colorectal most cancers.
How it really works: Like a FIT check, you get a equipment with all the pieces you want. But as a substitute of dipping the wand into the stool, you place a cup to catch your stool. You then mail in your pattern for lab testing.
How typically? Doctors advocate repeating this check each 3 years.
CT Colonography
Also generally known as digital colonoscopy, this makes use of X-rays to create and look at a 3D picture of your total colon. While good at discovering giant polyps, this scan can miss small polyps.
Wolf notes CT colonography is often reserved for choose sufferers like those that:
- Are at excessive danger for problems from colonoscopy
- Have narrowing that makes it tough to move a scope by way of the whole colon
How it really works: Before the examination, you’ll want to scrub out your colon by ingesting an answer. You additionally might must drink a distinction dye. This will make your colon simpler to see throughout the digital colonoscopy.
This check occurs at an imaging heart. You lie on a desk and a scanner takes footage of your colon. It takes much less time than a colonoscopy. A bonus is that no sedation with anesthesia is required.
How typically? You’ll must repeat this screening each 5 years if nothing is discovered.
Positive Colon Cancer Screening? Next Steps
If your at-home stool check comes again from the lab with a optimistic outcome, or your CT colonography reveals one thing regarding, you’ll want a colonoscopy.
Most of the time a colonoscopy doesn’t discover most cancers. Instead, it finds polyps that may be eliminated earlier than they flip into colorectal most cancers. This is what occurred to me. And I now not need to be frightened of colon most cancers.
Start Screening by 45
For many years, colon most cancers loss of life charges have been declining amongst these older than 50, due to screening.
But colon most cancers is rising at alarming charges amongst these below 50. That’s why screening is a must-do when you attain 45.
And if you happen to’re youthful and have signs, don’t hesitate to speak to a health care provider.
Here’s a scary reality. We’re seeing an alarming improve in ‘early onset’ colon most cancers between the ages of 20 and 49. And youthful individuals are extra prone to die from colorectal most cancers. That’s as a result of it’s not getting picked up at an early stage with screening, Yoshida says.
45? CHOOSE YOUR COLON CANCER SCREENING
Our colon most cancers screening specialists talk about your choices.
DON’T ASSUME IT’S HEMORRHOIDS
It’s vital to not ignore signs of colorectal most cancers:
- Blood in your stools
- Change in your bowel habits
- Abdominal or again ache
- Weight loss with out making an attempt
Yoshida explains, “In the old days, if somebody complained about blood in their stools, your mother or your doctor would just say, ‘Oh, honey, it’s hemorrhoids. Don’t worry about it.’ But now, if you have symptoms, you really need to talk to your doctor about getting a colonoscopy.”
She provides, “Colorectal cancer is not something that happens very rarely. We see this more and more in young people.”