Scoping Out Colon Cancer!

It’s not likely to make anyone’s bucket list, but a colonoscopy could save you from needing to do everything on that list anytime soon.

A new study confirms that regular colonoscopy screening, which involves inserting a scope through the rectum and into the intestines to detect and sometimes remove growths, can lower the risk of colon cancer by 77%. That number changes depending on the exact site of tumors: risk is reduced just 56% if the growth is on the right side of the intestines (which is harder to reach with the scope), but that is still a big improvement over people who did not get routine screenings.

Common wisdom calls for a colonoscopy once every 10 years for anyone over age 50, but that advice has been questioned by recent studies suggesting that the invasive and relatively expensive procedure does not find more tumors than less expensive tests that analyze fecal blood or use a shorter scope. The reason for the varying results may be operator skill; proper preparation and thorough execution of the test could improve its effectiveness.

For patients, it may be worth seeking out such skilled physicians, since colonoscopy is one of the few screening tools that can both detect precancerous growths and remove them, preventing cancer in a single procedure.

This information is from Time Magazine Jan 17, 2011, Lab Report by Alice Park.

If you are over 50 please discuss with your doctor scheduling a colonoscopic screening for your health and life.

To your Health, Leigh

A Shift in Cancer Screening Benefits - ACS

As reported in the Nov 2, 2009 issue of Time magazine

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The American Cancer Society announced that the benefits of prostrate - and breast-cancer screenings have been overstated, after a study found that such tests often detect nonlethal tumors but fail to catch faster-spreading malignant growths. Screenings for colon and cervical cancers, on the other hand, have led to a marked decline in late-stage cancers.



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This article is short but to the point. We are our best screeners. Self Exam is a must for all women and men. Breast cancer can be fast growing and easily grow between your yearly exams. Mine grew to 2cm within 2 months. If you check yourself every month you have a greater chance of feeling any changes before anyone else. If you do feel something, have it checked immediately. I would rather have a test say something is nonlethal than to wait and have a malignancy growing through my body.



Please do all you can to protect yourself from this killer.



Good health to us all

Leigh