A COLONOSCOPY
is
one of the best tests for the early
detection of colorectal cancer, which
kills more than 50,000 people in the
U.S. each year.
But myths about the test and the
cancer abound, keeping people from
getting screened on time.
Here are the facts about
ve common colorectal
cancer misconceptions:
Colorectal cancer can’t
be prevented.
In many cases, it can be
prevented. Colorectal cancer
almost always starts with a small,
precancerous growth called a polyp.
Polyps can be found only with certain
tests, such as a colonoscopy or a
exible sigmoidoscopy. If the polyp
is found early, doctors can remove it
before it develops into cancer.
Colorectal cancer is
always deadly.
More than 90 percent of
people whose colorectal cancers
are found early can be treated
and cured, the American Society
for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
reported. But many people wait
to see a doctor until they have
symptoms of the disease. O en that
means the cancer has already spread.
Survival rates are lower if colorectal
cancer isn’t found early.
Colorectal cancer a ects
mostly white men.
It’s an equal-opportunity
disease—it a ects men and women
of all races. e most important
risk factor, however, is age. More
than 90 percent of colorectal cancer
cases are in people 50 and older,
according to the American Cancer
Society (ACS).
If you eat well, exercise and
feel ne, screening isn’t important.
Screening is for everyone.
Colon cancer is a silent killer. It
o en doesn’t produce symptoms
until the cancer has spread. And
while diet and exercise lower
your risk, they aren’t a guarantee
against the disease. Screening is
recommended even for people
without symptoms or risk factors.
e ACS recommends that most
people be screened for colorectal
cancer starting at age 50. Some
people who are at particularly high
risk for the disease may need to
start screening at an earlier age.
Colonoscopy is painful
and expensive.
Colonoscopies aren’t painful.
In fact, most people don’t remember
them because they’re given medicine
to sleep through the exam, which is
always done in a very private setting.
Also, many insurance policies cover
the cost of screening for people 50 and
older. Medicare covers the test too.
your health
w
9
For a list of gastroenterologists
who
perform colonoscopies at Simi Valley Hospital, go
to
SimiValleyHospital.com
and click on “Find a Physician” in
the left-hand column of the home page. On the following page,
choose “Gastroenterology” from the “Specialty” drop-down
menu. For information about scheduling your colonoscopy at
the Aspen Surgery Center, see page 8.
