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.