Colonoscopy: The Most Popular Test For Colon Cancer

Do you belong to the above 50 years, age group? Or is there anyone in your close friends and family who is around 50 years of age? Well if yes then maybe you need to know about a health risk that can affect these people. It is none other than colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer affects the large intestine and the rectum. It develops in the form of polyps on the colon walls. These polyps have the potential of turning cancerous, thereby, taking the form of colon cancer. This type of cancer can turn fatal at times because there are no symptoms shown by the body when in the initial stages. The best way to keep yourself away from this is to be regular with your meeting with a gastroenterologist.

A gastroenterologist has a specialization in the detection and treatment of this fatal disease. The most important thing to keep in mind is that even they are capable of curing this illness only when they diagnose it at the right time. So, as a patient, it becomes your responsibility to keep up with your regular screenings in order to find out about any unusual activity developing within your body. 

We use the term screening specifically while referring to this disease as it can be detected while maintaining a regular check upcycle. Colonoscopy is the screening test that one has to take to find out about the health level of the colon. A screening test is done because this fatal disease reflects symptoms at a stage when matters have already gone out of hands. Had the symptoms been shown at the very beginning then it would have been a diagnostic test.

There is not just one test that helps in the detection of colon cancer. Other than colonoscopy one can take stool tests or flexible sigmoidoscopy. Which test to take depends on various factors such as:

• The availability of the testing facilities near you. If you would not have a particular test available at your doctor’s clinic you would obviously not prefer it.
• Your preference for the tests plays a major role. Sometimes people are not very comfortable taking a particular test which limits the tests available for you. This is a self-imposed restriction that one has to get rid of if the doctor feels that it is necessary to take a particular test.
• Your age is a major factor in deciding which test to take. Depending on your age the probability of you having this illness is decided. That probability in turn decides which test would be the most suitable one for you.
• Your medical condition and history are another deciding factor. If your doctor feels that you are healthy enough then they would themselves not recommend you all these tests but would rather choose one or two which would be the best to screen the presence of cancerous polyps in your colon or rectum.
• In case you have already gone for a screening test recently then your doctor would guide you if there is a need to take the same test again or if any other test should be taken.

Usually, a colonoscopy is a widely used test for colon cancer screening. This is because the scope of error arising in this test is less. This test helps the doctor in having a closer look at the colon walls which increases the accuracy of this test.

Colon cancer screening Los Angeles is one of the best places to get yourself tested. Due to the experience possessed by the doctor here, there is a greater chance of the treatment suiting you which will help in making your gut a healthy and happy one.

As mentioned earlier, after a particular age, one must be regular with one gut health check-ups. Whether you have colon cancer or not isn’t the only reason for you to visit a good gastroenterologist. They are the best ones to get guidance in terms of the diet that you should follow depending on your physical activity and medical status. A visit to the gut health specialist has the benefit of keeping a number of illnesses away. So, why take the risk of falling ill when you have a clear way out of it.