PREVENT
Posted September 14, 2015
The thought of getting cancer is scary; however, for many, the thought of getting a colonoscopy is almost as terrifying. One-third of Americans over the age of 50 have never been screened, even though colon cancer is highly treatable when caught early. The "fear of the rear" has contributed to colon cancer being the third leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S.
Fortunately, a colonoscopy—although still considered the gold standard for screening—is no longer the only option.
The newest alternative for people who may have been putting off a colonoscopy, and who aren't at particular risk for colon cancer, is a stool DNA test. With this test, a person collects a single stool sample at home using a kit, mails it to the test lab and gets the results back in a few days from his or her doctor. Initial research suggests 92 percent accuracy.
To help understand screening alternatives, I've summarized some of the pros and cons of each in the table below. As the old saying goes, the best screening test is the one that people will actually use.
Type of test | Pluses | Minuses |
---|---|---|
Colonoscopy |
+ surgeon can view entire colon |
- requires special pre-test diet and bowel preparation |
Stool DNA test (e.g. Cologuard®) |
+ sampling performed at home |
- if abnormal, will require a colonoscopy |
Fecal immuno-chemical test (FIT) |
+ sampling performed at home |
- if abnormal, will require a colonoscopy |
Fecal occult blood test (FOBT) |
+ sampling performed at home |
- if abnormal, will require a colonoscopy |
Screening options for colon health
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