In February 2000, President Clinton officially dedicated March as National Colon Cancer Awareness Month. According to the National Colon Cancer Alliance, the disease takes the lives of more than 50,000 people every year. Colon cancer is the third most common cancer in the United States and the second leading cause of cancer death. But it doesn’t have to be that way; through screening, it is one of the most preventable diseases. Bayhealth Gastroenterologist Gautamy Chitiki Dhadham, MD, offers lifesaving screening options.
Dr. Dhadham recommends men and women ages 50 and older schedule a colonoscopy. A colonoscopy is a test that allows a doctor to examine the inner lining of the large intestine and look for possible ulcers, polyps, tumors, and areas of inflammation or bleeding. “It’s a minimally invasive procedure and the patient is in a twilight state of anesthesia, they don’t feel anything,” Dr. Dhadham said. “It only takes about a half hour and most people don’t have any discomfort afterward and can return to work the next day.”
Many people tend to put off scheduling a colonoscopy due to anxiety about the procedure or sensitivity to anesthesia; especially if they aren’t experiencing any bothersome symptoms. There are noninvasive screening options available – CT colonography or cologuard screening. “These tests are great for screening and prevention, but they are not as thorough as a colonoscopy,” Dr. Dhadham said. “Screening is especially important for those with a family history of colon cancer. If polyps are found in the noninvasive test, a colonoscopy will need to be done.”
CT colonography is a noninvasive virtual colonoscopy. Similar to a CT scan machine, it uses special X-ray equipment to examine the large intestine for polyps. “This test can show many polyps and other lesions as clearly as a conventional colonoscopy,” Dr. Dhadham said. “However, flat polyps and lesions are harder to detect and may be missed.”
A third option is a test the patient can do at their home called cologuard screening. The lining of the colon naturally sheds cells daily; the test looks for evidence of any polyps or lesions that shed. A stool sample is collected and sent to a lab. Dr. Dhadham said if the results show polyps present, a colonoscopy will need to be done.
For more information or to find a Bayhealth physician to fit your needs, visit bayhealth.org or call 1-866-Bay-Docs to learn about providers in your area.
