Do You Need a Colonoscopy to Prevent Colon Cancer?

Fewer and fewer people are dying from colon cancer, it used to be a big killer, but today thanks to early screening doctors are catching it in time and preventing polyps from becoming cancerous. It has been recommended that when you turn 45 to 50 years old you should go in for screening. If they don’t find any polyps, you are probably good for another 10 years. There are some people who go in every five years, but now it appears that is too often, and perhaps not needed.

This should be a sign of relief because no one really wants to go in to get a colonoscopy. You can understand why without me explain it here in this article. So does that mean colon cancer is not as serious as it once was? Oh no, it’s still very serious, it’s just that if it’s caught early it can be prevented or treated without it becoming to life-threatening. It used to be this type of cancer was almost a death sentence, it’s not that way anymore.

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There was an interesting article recently in the Wall Street Journal on May 10, 2011 titled “New Study Questions Colonoscopy Frequency” by Katherine Hobson and posted onto the “Best of Health Blog” section. The article stated that researchers discovered that the over use of these procedures, and that if no polyps are found there is really no need to do another colonoscopy for 10-years.

The research seems to coincide with Medicare cuts on reimbursements, and on their current policies. Likewise, colonoscopies are not exactly the most happiest of things you can do at a doctor’s office or hospital if you smell what I mean. Okay so, apparently with these results you should be able to go in and get a colonoscopy and if nothing is found and everything looks good (correct), you won’t need to go in again for about 10 years or more.

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The American Cancer Society has confirmed these reports and research in its own data. There are some other things you should probably know that you can find out online quite easily. There are certain types of vegetables and foods with antioxidants that you can eat to help further reduce your risk of getting colon cancer.

Therefore you should, why take any risks? Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it. If you run across to anymore interesting research on this topic I would please ask that you shoot me an e-mail and point me to the study.

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by Lance Winslow