Understanding the Importance of Colon Cancer Screening
The leading gastroenterology practice in Northwest Georgia, GI Specialists of Georgia diagnoses and treats diseases of the colon and provides an array of tests for effective screening. We treat all sorts of digestive disorders. Our dedicated team of physicians includes colonoscopy doctors who understand the importance of colon screening in your overall health. Offered at our three endoscopy centers, colonoscopy screening is important whether you have symptoms or not, regardless of your overall level of risk.
This endoscopic procedure should be used to evaluate your large intestine if you experience abdominal pain, bleeding, or a change in bowel habits. It may also be necessary if you’ve been diagnosed with anemia. Enabling a physician to view the interior of the colon, the exam can detect polyps that can be biopsied or removed, while bleeding lesions can be controlled as well.
Call 833-362-0800 now to schedule your Colonoscopy Screening.
Importance of Colon Cancer Screening
Testing can find colon cancer early and help prevent it. Most men and women who are at average risk for developing colorectal cancer should be screened, starting at age 45 and every 10 years thereafter. Colonoscopy is the preferred strategy for screening and prevention for colon cancer. Fecal immunochemical tests, guaiac-based fecal occult blood tests, and stool DNA tests can non-invasively detect cancer.
Screening is so important as it:
- Enables physicians to remove polyps before they become malignant—small polyps can take 5 to 10 years to develop into cancer.
- The sooner and earlier colorectal cancer is diagnosed, the better your chances of a better quality of life and a longer survival rate.
- A doctor can diagnose other conditions and treat them, further improving your colon health and reducing your risk of cancer.
If you have a personal history of ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and other inflammatory bowel diseases, or a family history of colorectal cancer or polyps, colon screening should start before age 50 in Atlanta. If a direct relative such as a parent was affected, get your first screening 10 years before the onset of their condition.
Schedule your Colonoscopy Screening by calling 833-362-0800.
Early Detection and Your Health
Colon cancer screening is an important health matter because:
- Colorectal cancer often doesn’t have symptoms until its late stages.
- Colorectal cancer is the third-most commonly diagnosed form of cancer in men and women.
- Obesity, lack of exercise, excess alcohol consumption, and cigarette smoking appear to increase one’s risk.
- Advanced surgical techniques and chemotherapy drugs have made colorectal cancer more treatable than in the past.
- A colon screening can save your life, whether cancer is found or not.
Scheduling and What to Expect
Talk to your doctor about your level of risk, when to get tested, and how to prepare for a colonoscopy so the exam is most successful. GI Specialists of Georgia in Atlanta offers several methods of preparation, as it’s important for physicians to have a clear view of the inside of the large intestine. Call 833-362-0800 to schedule your colon screening appointment at one of our Georgia endoscopy centers today.
Schedule an Appointment with Our Atlanta-Area Gastroenterologists
Whether you’re here for an endoscopic ultrasound or a colonoscopy, we will treat you with the utmost respect and dignity. Our gastroenterologists in the Douglasville and Northwest Atlanta area believe in the importance of educating our patients on a variety of health topics, ranging from anemia to gastrointestinal infections, cirrhosis of the liver, and pancreatitis. To schedule an appointment with one of our board-certified gastroenterologists, please contact GI Specialists of Georgia today.
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