Colon cancer is diagnosed in more than 140,000 Americans each year. If the cancer is found early, while still in a local growth (called a colon polyp), during a routine screening colonoscopy, the survival rate at five years is 91-95%. That often is treated by a polyp removal or surgery to remove part of the colon. If a patient waits until symptoms like bleeding, pain, or unexplained weight loss occur, the cancer has usually spread, and the five-year survival rate, even with chemotherapy and/or radiation added to the surgery, goes down to 8%.
Still, even armed with those facts, some people still refuse a colonoscopy. Why?
Here are some common reasons:
1. Fear of pain. No need to fear this, as you will have anesthesia for the procedure.
2. Fear of embarrassment. The providers that do this procedure all day long and are very matter of fact about the whole procedure.
3. Fear of anesthesia. The anesthesia is mild and usually quite well tolerated. It’s just like taking a nap, and when you wake up you get to eat!
4. Fear of the prep involved. Granted, this is a legitimately obnoxious process, but short-lived and handled in the privacy of your own bathroom. Some of the older preps were more unpleasant. Now there are a few options, so ask your doctor which one is right for you.
5. Fear of the cost. Screening colonoscopies are considered a preventive service and are covered by Medicare. (There can be a charge if the doctor removes a polyp during the procedure, but Medicare covers most of it.)
Here’s the bottom line: Colon cancer is the second most common fatal cancer to be diagnosed in this country, exceeded only by lung cancer (mostly affecting smokers), so if you do not smoke, colon cancer is the most likely cancer to kill you. But it’s completely unnecessary to die of colon cancer (in most situations). With proper screening, almost all colon cancer deaths could be completely avoided.
