Colonoscopy 101
- Category: Men's Health, General Surgery, Robotic Surgery
- Posted On:
- Written By: St. John's Health
Everything You Need to Know About Colonoscopies
Like most forms of cancer, early detection is key when it comes to effectively diagnosing and treating colorectal cancer. While many know that colonoscopies are helping your doctors to detect this form of cancer, you may still have questions about this health screening. The health experts at St. John's Health are here to share everything you need to know.
What is a Colonoscopy?
A colonoscopy is a procedure done to allow doctors to examine the inside of the colon and rectum for abnormalities. During this procedure, a colonoscope—a flexible tube with a small camera attached to the end—is placed in the anus and fed into the colon rectum and colon.
If any abnormal growths or polyps are found, additional instruments will be inserted in order to remove or biopsy them.
How Often Do You Need a Colonoscopy?
With roughly 90% of colorectal cancer cases being diagnosed in adults over the age of 45, it is important to begin routine screenings around this age. Screenings help your doctors to detect precancerous polyps or growths that may be a cause for concern.
For the average healthy adult, it is recommended that you get a colonoscopy once every 10 years, starting at the age of 50. If you have any risk factors that may increase your risk of developing colorectal cancer, your primary care doctor may suggest more frequent screenings.
Additional Colorectal Cancer Screenings
Additional testing that can help your doctors to detect colorectal cancer include:
- Highly sensitive fecal immunochemical test (FIT)
- Highly sensitive guaiac-based fecal occult blood test (gFOBT)
- Multi-targeted stool DNA test (mt-sDNA)
- CT colonography (virtual colonoscopy)
- Flexible sigmoidoscopy (FSIG)
Get a colonoscopy: No referral or pre-op appointment needed. Simply fill out the new open access registration form.
St. John's has an open access process that allows healthy people, age 45 and older, with an average risk for colon cancer to schedule a colonoscopy without the inconvenience of an initial office visit. Fill out the online pre-registration form and one of our nurses will contact you in one week.
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