While cancer is a global scourge, some cancers are more prevalent than others. And one such cancer is colorectal cancer. But while late-stage colorectal cancer is devastating, what some people are unaware of is that they can avoid this cancer from worsening by simply scheduling routine colon cancer screenings.
Preventive screenings are highly recommended by doctors since they not only help with identifying the presence of potentially cancerous polyps, but it gives the medical professional sufficient time to extract them, and this could be the difference between life and death. So what should you expect from the screening? What you should know is that this procedure can be carried out in various ways. To help you determine which option will be best, this piece highlights the various pros and cons of the different colon cancer screening options.
Colonoscopies
Without a doubt, the most popular cancer screening test that the population is aware of is a colonoscopy. This technique entails passing a long, thin, illuminated into the patient's colon. The tube will then allow the doctor to see potential polyps present in the colon, and those that are located with be extracted via surgery. There are several advantages that colonoscopies offer. Foremost, the doctor gets a clear view of not only the patient's colon but their rectum, too. Hence, they can rest assured that they have carried out a thorough examination of their patient.
The second advantage of colonoscopies is that they are exhaustive enough to keep the patient from needing another screening for several years. Thus, if you do not want to test for colon cancer in the short term, this could be the right screening test for you. The main drawback of a colonoscopy is that this procedure requires the patient to stick to stringent dietary restrictions prior to the test, and this can be uncomfortable for some people.
CT colonography
If you are looking for the least invasive way to get screened for colon cancer, you may want to consider a CT colonography. As suggested by the name, this type of screening will employ CT imaging to generate pictures of the patient's colon. These images are highly accurate, so the doctor will be able to pinpoint the location of potential polyps. Nevertheless, this does not automatically mean that this is the best option for your needs.
One of the cons of this type of screening is that the doctor does not get the chance to extract cancerous polyps immediately so you will still have to undergo an additional procedure if the doctor finds any abnormalities. The second drawback of a CT colonography is that the relative newness of this technology means it may not be insured by your insurance provider. Thus, you will have to pay for it out of pocket, and it is quite costly.
For more information on colon cancer screening, contact a company like Gastro Health.
