Are You Still Putting Off the Screening for Colon Cancer?

Posted by Cancer Center Las Colinas on September 27th, 2019

You may not have planned for a colonoscopy, but it could be a life saver. So, you are probably wondering whether opting for a home test can work out.

Well, you might go for an older or latest colon cancer test, but it’s essential to understand how each works.

What Older and Newer Colon Cancer Tests Entail

• The newer testing approaches require sending a stool sample to the laboratory
• Older tests involve checking blood for possible cancer growth
• Blood tests can’t easily detect precancerous polyps because such polyps don’t usually bleed
• The latest types of tests involve checking stools for possible DNA changes
• Newer tests are also ideal for finding more advanced polyps
• Home stool tests should be repeated after 1-3 years

If the home tests indicate positive, you will need to undergo a colonoscopy. Imaging can detect colon cancer earlier than home stool tests. Thus, home stool tests are ideal for individuals facing an average colorectal cancer risk and without a history of colon disease or polyps.

Imaging Tests

• The tests can detect tiny polyps that doctors can remove and test for cancer.
• Unlike home stool tests, imaging tests don’t need to be repeated as often.
• Imaging tests should be repeated every 5-10 years. It depends on the imaging type carried out and whether the doctor discovered any polyps.
  

How Imaging Tests Are Carried Out

• Images tests have varying procedures, but they have one aspect in common – bowel prep.
• In conventional colonoscopy, a camera is attached to a flexible tube to examine the colon.

There’s also virtual colonoscopy that’s more noninvasive, as it lets the doctors examine the colon externally. But if the doctor detects polyps, a traditional colonoscopy will be used to remove them.

The Real Problem

In spite of these different options, there’s a problem – most people aren’t going for any screening for colorectal cancer. Have you been putting the screening off? Take the initiative and talk to the doctor about it.

About Author

At Las Colinas Cancer Center, a Choice Cancer Care Treatment Center, our team is committed to providing the personalized, compassionate treatment that can make all the difference in cancer care.