Does colonoscopy really have the potential to cut the colon cancer rate by 90%? A new study appearing in the Annals of Internal Medicine suggests that the real number may be in the range of 60% to 70%, so the test is still a good bet. But 90%? Maybe not. Need to know more? Read this article in The New York Times. Here's an excerpt:
Possible culprits seem to be failure to cleanse the colon properly before the test and possibly, the inexperience of the physician performing the test. Also, the disease may be different when it appears on the right side of the colon. The Times article also provides some good advice for selecting a physician to perform a colonoscopy and puts screening tests in perspective.
...patients should be compulsive about their bowel prep and be sure the test is done by one of the best colonoscopists in their area, gastroenterologists said. Doctors should find polyps in at least 25 percent of men and 15 percent of women. They should take at least eight minutes to withdraw an endoscope from the colon. And they should do a high volume of screening. Dr. Smith said a high volume was at least three or four colonoscopies a day.
After the test, patients can ask whether the doctor got to the right side of the colon and how that was documented.
Colon cancer experts said people should realize that even if colonoscopies prevent just 60 percent of colon cancer deaths, that still is a lot. Mammograms, for example, prevent 25 percent of breast cancer deaths, and the PSA test for men has not been shown to prevent prostate cancer deaths.
Here's a link to an editorial in the Annals of Internal Medicine on this story. Here's a summary for patients.
And a video news release.
