Colorectal Cancer
Screening
What is Colorectal Cancer Screening?
What is Colorectal Cancer Screening?
Several screening tests are available to detect polyps or Colorectal Cancer:
STOOL TESTS
Guaiac-based Fecal Occult Blood Test (gFOBT)
This is an at-home test that identifies blood in the stool. If this is your screening tool of choice it should be done yearly. Dietary adjustments maybe necessary before performing this test. It may also require more than one sample to be accurate.
Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT)
This is an at-home test which targets a different portion of blood in the stool. It should be performed every 1-2 years. No dietary restrictions are necessary
FIT-DNA Test
This test is an amalgamation of the FIT test (detects blood in the stool) and a test that detects altered DNA in the stool. It should be performed once every three years.
INVASIVE TESTS
Flexible Sigmoidoscopy
This screening test is to be performed by a doctor. The doctor uses a short, thin, flexible, lighted tube to check for polyps or cancer inside the rectum and lower third of the colon. This screening method should be performed every five years, on its own, or every 10 years once supplemented with a yearly FIT Test.
Colonoscopy
A colonoscopy is similar to a flexible sigmoidoscopy in procedure, except a longer tube is utilized in order to check for polyps or cancer inside the rectum and the entire colon. During this procedure, the doctor can remove polyps simultaneously, making this test one of the most effective screening procedures to date. A colonoscopy is usually a follow-up test if anything unusual is found during one of the other screening tests.
CT Colonography
This test utilizes x rays to glimpse the lining of the colon. It is not able to detect very small polyps but it allows the entire colon to be assessed with the added benefit of no sedation.