Q: I've never had a colonoscopy. How do they work?
A: A colonoscopy is a test that lets your doctor examine your large intestine using a colonoscope — a long, thin tube with a tiny camera attached. Colonoscopies can catch Colorectal cancer early, when it's easier to treat, but they also have another lifesaving benefit.
Most colorectal cancers begin as growths called polyps. If your doctor sees polyps during your colonoscopy, he or she can remove them right then and there. And according to a study in the New England Journal of Medicine, this reduces your risk of dying from the disease by half.
So not only can colonoscopies catch cancer, they can also catch growths before they become cancer. Most people should get colonoscopies beginning at age 50. Talk with your doctor about the right timing for you. You may need to start earlier if you have a family history of colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease or other risk factors.
Q: What is one thing I could do today to lower my colorectal cancer risk?
A: Quit smoking. In one study, more than 100,000 older adults were asked about their smoking history. During a 13-year period, 1,962 cases of colorectal cancer occurred. Risk for the cancer was 23 percent higher in former smokers than in those who never smoked.
However, for those who quit, risk went down. Among current smokers, risk increased with more years of smoking.
If you smoke, these steps can help you quit:
-Mark your calendar. Set a quit date that will mark your first smoke-free day.
-Curb nicotine cravings. Try smoking cessation aids that make nicotine withdrawal less intense and unpleasant, such as nicotine gum, patches or inhalers. Ask the pharmacist at your Good Neighbor Pharmacy to help you choose a smoking cessation aid that's right for you.
-Get support. Tell family, friends and coworkers that you're quitting. Ask for their help and encouragement.
Q: Are there other screening tests for colorectal cancer besides colonoscopy?
A: Yes. In addition to colonoscopy, these tests can also detect cancer and polyps:
-A flexible sigmoidoscopy
-A double-contrast barium enema
-A virtual colonoscopy
If you opt for one of these tests, you should be screened once every five years, starting at age 50. Tests that check for blood in the stool and a new stool DMA test are other minimally invasive screening options. However, these blood and stool tests only find cancer, not polyps.
Good Neighbor Pharmacy Health Connection March 2013
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