(607NewsNow) — Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in the United States. Colonoscopies, a short outpatient procedure used to examine the rectum and entire colon for diseases like cancer or inflammation using a camera-equipped tube, can save lives.
“A large percentage of our practice is preventative health. It starts there, with screening. I think it’s important to talk about as a primary care physician,” says Dr. Cliff Snellgrove, Internal Medicine Provider at Arnot Health, a Member of Centralus Health.
The risk of colon cancer increases for everyone as you get older. Without routine preventative screening, like a colonoscopy, detecting cancer early can be difficult.
“We’ve seen a slight increase in colon cancer in patients under the age of 50. Forty-five is the average age we ask patients to be screened unless they have a family history. It’s individualized, but if they have a first-degree relative who had it at a younger age, you’d want to make sure they’re screened 10 years prior to when their relative was diagnosed,” says Dr. Snellgrove.
Gastroenterologists can tell a lot about your risk based on the results of the first screening. Dr. Tenzin Tseky, a Gastroenterologist at Arnot Health, a Member of Centralus Health, says colonoscopies allow her to look for polyps, abnormal growths of tissue, and clumps of precancerous cells, found inside the large intestine. Photo of Dr. Tenzin Tseky, courtesy of Cayuga Health, A Member of Centralus Health.
“Any form of colon cancer has to start from a small polyp.”
Colonoscopies offer doctors a chance to remove, analyze, and potentially prevent the formation of cancer before it has a chance to start.
“Being able to get rid of polyps is one of the biggest advances in modern medicine,” says Dr. Tseky.
Colonoscopy is a quick outpatient procedure and is considered the ‘gold standard’ for early detection. If you’re over the age of 45, talk to your doctor about scheduling an exam.
Cayuga Health Gastroenterology is located at 1020 Craft Road, Suite C, in Ithaca and 220 Steuben Street in Montour Falls. Arnot Health Gastroenterology is located St. Joseph’s Hospital, 571 St. Joseph’s Boulevard, Suite 307, Elmira.
