Screen today, stay healthy tomorrow

You’ve just turned 45 and you’re running through your to-do checklist for the year to come.

Making sure you’re on the right financial path for your future retirement? Check.

Getting your child ready and off to college? Check.

Getting that colonoscopy to ensure you’re free of any signs of possible colorectal cancer? Oops, didn’t think of that one.

According to the health care experts at Adena Health, you should. A colonoscopy needs to be an important part of every 45-year-old’s health maintenance checklist because of one simple fact: Early detection saves lives.

“Early detection is the key to surviving colorectal cancer, and colonoscopies are the most reliable tools for that detection,” said Adena general surgeon Damien Benjamin, MD.

Here’s what you need to know to feel more comfortable about getting a colonoscopy, figure out when you should schedule one, and understand why it is so important.

A very quick procedure

The process for getting a colonoscopy is relatively simple and begins in the comfort of your own home. It includes:

• Taking a prescribed laxative at home the evening before the colonoscopy that will clear out the colon, making it easier for the physician to get a clean look inside.
• Administration of a short-acting anesthetic right before the outpatient procedure in the hospital to help you relax and sleep.
• Insertion by the surgeon of a flexible, fiber-optic tube to look for any abnormalities within the colon, take photos of anything detected, and remove or biopsy any polyps discovered for further lab testing for cancer cells.

The procedure is painless, takes just a few minutes, and initial findings may be available before leaving the hospital the same day or during a follow-up visit with your physician.

When the time is right

When to schedule your first colonoscopy is dependent on several factors.

• If you aren’t experiencing symptoms and don’t have a family history of colorectal cancer, your first colonoscopy is recommended at age 45. If no abnormalities are found, the next screening isn’t necessary for another 10 years. If that initial screening reveals non-cancerous polyps, re-screenings are recommended every three to five years to make sure they have not become cancerous.
• If you have an immediate family member who has been diagnosed with colorectal cancer, your first colonoscopy should be scheduled, if possible, about 10 years before the age at which that family member was diagnosed. If you have a family history of colorectal cancer, you also are advised to schedule a flexible sigmoidoscopy every five years.
• If you have other health issues such as adult-onset diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, or Lynch syndrome – a hereditary disorder that increases the risk of colon cancer – your first colonoscopy is recommended before you turn 45.

If unsure, ask your physician about the best time to schedule your colonoscopy.

What to watch for…or not

Unlike many other health conditions, while you may experience symptoms that indicate the possible existence of colorectal cancer, you also may not experience any at all.

Here are signs to watch for that might indicate a problem.

• Diarrhea, constipation, or a change in stool consistency
• Black or bloody stool
• Tenderness or a lump in the lower abdomen
• Loss of appetite and unintentional weight loss
• Bloating, gas pains, or straining during bowel movements

Because you may not experience any of those signs, particularly during the disease’s early stages, a colonoscopy is critical in making sure you are cancer free or that any problems are found early enough to allow for effective treatment.

Really, it’s important

Colorectal cancer ranks among the top five most common cancers in the United States. When caught and treated in its earliest stage, patients have an 80% to 95% chance of living five years or longer.

The longer you wait if cancer is present, however, those percentages can drop dramatically.

Because a colonoscopy is often the only way to detect the presence of colorectal cancer in its earliest stage, getting one done should be an essential part of your health maintenance planning.

An ounce of prevention

When it comes to finding and attacking serious threats to your health, why wait? A colonoscopy can be that ounce of prevention for your colon that gives you peace of mind well into the future.

To learn more, visit our website at adena.org/colonoscopy. To schedule a colonoscopy, call (740) 779-4550.