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Why Colon Screening is Important

 


Colon cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed forms of cancer. In the early stages, there are often no symptoms, which is why screening is so important. Screening can detect the early warning signs of colon cancer and save your life.

Colon cancer screening saves lives in two important ways:

  • Screening can prevent colon cancer by finding and removing polyps before they turn into cancer. Polyps are small growths that can develop in the colon or rectum, often with no symptoms in the early stages of growth.
  • Screening can find cancers early. Early detection means more treatment options and better outcomes.
Screening is only recommended for people who are not experiencing symptoms that may indicate colon cancer. Symptoms can include blood in your stool, abdominal pain, change in bowel habits, or unexplained weight loss. If you are experiencing these symptoms, talk to your health care provider about a referral for diagnostic testing to determine the cause of these symptoms.

Your questions

 
Further testing may cause anxiety: Screening may lead to more tests to figure out the reason for an abnormal screening test results. This does not mean cancer was found. The majority of people called back for additional tests will not have cancer. 

No screening test is perfect: Screening finds many non-cancerous polyps and colon cancers, but no screening test is perfect. Regular screening offers the best chance of finding the early signs of cancer. 

Possible concerns and impacts of screening: A colonoscopy may be recommended for high-risk patients or after an abnormal FIT result for an average-risk patient. There can be risks with this procedure such as bleeding and bowel perforation, and in rare cases, death. 

Close-up of hands holding a FIT
​Get screened
Colon cancer screening can save your life. Speak to your health care provider about getting a referral for a FIT or colonoscopy.
SOURCE: Why Colon Screening is Important ( )
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