Options to Best Fit Your Preferences and Prevent Colon Cancer

Options to Best Fit Your Preferences and Prevent Colon CanceR

Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths for both men and women combined in West Virginia. Early detection with screening is key in preventing and treating this disease as screening detects colon cancer in its early stages making it easier to treat and cure.

If you are age 50 to 75 or have a family history of colon cancer, you should speak with your healthcare provider about which screening option is best for you. There are several effective screening options to choose from that best fit your personal needs and preferences. But the best screening option is the one you select and complete!

Colonoscopy
The most well-known colon cancer screening option is a colonoscopy. A colonoscopy is a screening test that requires a patient be sedated while a doctor uses a special type of tube with a flashlight on the end to look at the entire colon to see if there are any growths such as polyps or cancer. If the doctor sees any growths, he will remove them during the procedure. There is no discomfort during this procedure, but it does require bowel preparation, occasionally a pre-visit appointment before the procedure appointment and someone else will need to drive the patient home after the procedure.

CT Colonography or Virtual Colonoscopy
CT colonography, or virtual colonoscopy, uses a CT scan to view the colon and rectum to find polyps or cancer. Although this screening does require bowel preparation, no sedation is needed; it is less invasive than a colonoscopy, and it takes approximately 10 minutes to complete.  If polyps or cancer are found, the patient will need to be follow up with a colonoscopy so that the polyps or cancer can be removed. This option is newer than other screening tests and may not be covered by all insurance.

FIT Test

FIT (Fecal Immunochemical Test) kits look for hidden blood in stool. Blood in stool is a sign of colon cancer. A sample of stool is placed on a card or in a tiny tube and returned to the clinic or a lab so that the test can be resulted. FIT kits do not require bowel preparation or medication or dietary restrictions. The test is completed in the privacy and convenience of the patient’s home requiring no time off work. This is an affordable option even without insurance. However, if the FIT test has a positive result, the patient will be required to complete a colonoscopy to see what is causing the hidden blood. You can pick up a FIT kit the next time you are at your healthcare provider’s office.

Cologuard

Cologuard (FIT-DNA) is another take-home screening test that looks for both hidden blood and abnormal DNA in stool. This is a newer screening test, but most major insurers are covering the cost. Cologuard does not require bowel preparation or medication or dietary restrictions. This test can be done in the privacy and convenience of a patient’s home requiring no time off work. If this test has a positive result, the patient will be required to complete a colonoscopy in order to see what is causing the positive result.

For more information on Colon Cancer or to schedule a screening contact your BCHA healthcare provider today!