CINCINNATI — Once you turn 45, doctors recommend that you get a colonoscopy.
But is it truly effective when it comes to preventing and detecting colon cancer?
What You Need To Know
- A new European study shows that people who had a colonoscopy saw a 31% reduction in their risk for colon cancer and a 50% reduction in their risk of dying from colon cancer
- When it comes to colonoscopies in the US and Europe, the study found that only 23% of the European patients received sedation, while nearly all US patients say they have
- A colonoscopy is an examination where a doctor uses a tube with a camera to examine your colon for either cancer or polyps that could be cancerous
- Pete Marek recently got his second colonoscopy and says it’s important to get done
Getting a colonoscopy is something Pete Marek knew he had to do.
“Personally, I know people who have had colon cancer, so that is no fun from the people I know who have had it,” said Marek.
A colonoscopy is an examination where a doctor uses a tube with a camera to examine your colon for either cancer or polyps that could be cancerous. And it was this exam that helped Marek’s friends.
“One had, when they found the polyp it was malignant and they treated it,” he said. “And the other one, I’m not sure how they treat colon cancer, I think it was with radiation, but they’re both fine. But they both were discovered during colonoscopies.”
And that’s why Marek made sure to get his exam done. He had his first at 50 and found out that his results were inconclusive. So he had it done again years later.
“On this one they did find a small polyp that they cut out and then they did a biopsy and they said it was totally benign and see you in 10 years,” said Marek.
A new European study shows that people who had a colonoscopy saw a 31% reduction in their risk for colon cancer and a 50% reduction in their risk of dying from colon cancer. Christ Hospital Colorectal Surgeon Dr. John Frankel said he believes a colonoscopy is the best screening for finding cancer.
“Not only does it diagnose you, but it also potentially removes cancer,” said Dr. Frankel. “So in my opinion there is no better tool for colon cancer and rectal cancer than a colonoscopy.”
When it comes to colonoscopies in the US and Europe countries, the study found that only 23% of European patients received sedation, while nearly all US patients said they have received sedation.
“It is so much more common that we do it under sedation so that we do not have to worry about the piece of a patient having too much pain that we have to actually abort the procedure,” said Frankel.
If you have a relative that has had colon or rectal cancer early in their lifetime, Dr. Frankel suggests that you should get a screening done 10 years earlier than they their cancer was found. If not, you’re encouraged to get one every 10 years.
“If I can know preventative-wise that I’m fine for 10 years, I will do that,” said Frankel.
