Colon Screening for Cancerous Polyps: Helping You Live Longer

It is true that not all polyps lead to cancer. You should be extra concerned though if a polyp is found in your colon. A benign colon polyp could become cancerous if left alone. Cancer of the colon is actually among the most common forms of cancer and is in second place as the main cause of cancer related deaths. Majority of patients however can be saved from cancer if polyps are detected early.

Adenomas

Polyps in the colon can either be hyperplastic polyps or adenomas. It is the latter that could become cancerous and should be removed. Hyperplastic polyps that are large should also be considered for removal. Large adenomas have a high risk of causing cancer.

Risk Factors

There’s no way to exactly tell who will get hit with cancerous polyps. You should be extra careful and vigilant though if you belong to the high risk group. Those who are greatly at risk of developing cancerous polyps are those who have a history of colon cancer or polyps. Those over 40 years old should also already consider undergoing screening for colon polyps.

Lifestyle and diet are also major factors that could lead to polyp formation. Smoking and eating foods with too much fat could be risk factors. You also increase your risk if your diet does not include fruits and vegetables which are high sources of fiber, nutrients and antioxidants necessary for natural bowel cleansing.

Why Go for Screening

Colon polyps can develop gradually into cancer in a period of ten years. During this time, a person may or may not manifest symptoms. It is therefore only through proper screening that these polyps can be detected and removed. Early detection can help prevent and even stop cancer in its early stages.

Screening Procedures

Here are some procedures that doctors normally use to help detect the presence of colon polyps:

• Patient History- Before any procedure is undertaken, your doctor will have to interview you for a comprehensive medical history. This will help identify if an individual posses the risk factors that could lead to colon cancer.

• Fecal Occult Blood Test- Sometimes the stool may contain blood from polyps that is not visible to the eye. This test will help determine if stools do contain small amounts of blood. Samples of a person’s stools are put on cards and examined in a lab.

• Sigmoidoscopy- This is a minor procedure that will take only a few minutes and may be performed in a clinic. A doctor uses a sigmoidoscope which is a thin, flexible, fiber optic tube that has a light and camera attached to it. A doctor is able to see through this scope if there are any polyps in the rectum and in the lower part of the colon. This procedure however is a little limited since it does not allow the doctor to go further up the colon.

• Colonoscopy- This is similar to sigmoidoscopy but is more comprehensive. This procedure will give the doctor a view of the entire colon. A small polyp can be removed with a wire loop on a colonoscope.