Colonoscopy is among the most common screening methods for colorectal cancer. According to the US Preventative Services Task Force, screening for people between 45 and 75 is recommended, and screening decisions for those between 76 and 85 years should be an individual decision.
Colorectal cancer screening can be performed through various tests
People with a higher risk of developing cancer might consult a doctor to start screening and discuss which tests and how frequently they should be performed. A new study investigates how colon cancer risks are impacted by colonoscopy testing.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention there are several tests that can be performed to determine colorectal cancer including CT colonography, flexible sigmoidoscopy, stool tests, and colonoscopy. The most common test is colonoscopy, but little is known about its effect on colorectal cancer and associated death.
Colonoscopy involves using a long, flexible, thin, lighted tube inserted into the rectum to help the doctor check for cancer or polyps in the colon. The screening can help in the early diagnosis of cancer and can help during follow-up to ascertain if there is anything unusual. According to doctors, people should undergo a colonoscopy screen after every ten years if they don’t have an increased risk of cancer.
Cancer.Net indicates that anyone at average risk of colon cancer has a 5% probability of developing cancer. Almost 95% of colorectal cancer is sporadic or genetic alterations develop after an individual is born.
Colorectal cancer risk is influenced by a range of factors
Although the cause is unknown, factors such as gender, age, family history, race, inflammatory bowel disease, rare inherited conditions, obesity, diet, adenomas, smoking and personal history of cancer can increase the risk of colorectal cancer.
Colonoscopy impacts the individual, and according to a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine, individuals tend to have major bleeding following polyp removal. Still, there are no screening deaths following colonoscopy screening. Interestingly the risk of colorectal cancer after ten years for individuals that underwent screening, according to the study, was lower relative to those who didn’t.
