March is National Colorectal Cancer Screening and Awareness Month

Colorectal Cancer Screening and Awareness Month

With the advent of screening colonoscopy, which is the gold standard for colon cancer screening, colon cancer is now a potentially preventable disease.

Colonoscopy consists of viewing the entire length of the inside of a clean, prepared colon with a special camera. Colon polyps, or growths on the colon which are often pre-cancerous or potentially pre-cancerous, are removed using a variety of instruments.

Current guidelines recommend a screening colonoscopy every 10 years starting at age 50 for average risk individuals. Talk to your primary care provider at Associates in Family Medicine to see if you are a candidate for a screening colonoscopy.

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