Tagged with “colonoscopy”

Dr. Oz, You’re Scaring People

Image courtesy of SONY Pictures TV

Did Dr. Oz scare you today?

The chances of your colonoscopy resulting in the made for TV near-death experience that Dr. Mehmet Oz has detailed in a six-part video series on his show and website is highly unlikely. See, Dr. Oz didn’t have a near-death experience, and his colonoscopy story is very common. So can we cut it out with the hysterics, Dr. Oz? You’re scaring people.

Posted by Carlea Bauman on September 7th, 2010
Posted in: Policy & Advocacy News, Research & Treatment News | 4 Comments »
Tags: colonoscopy, colonoscopy screening, screening

Half of Colorectal Cancer Survivors Not Getting Recommended Colonoscopies

Despite guidelines calling for a colonoscopy a year after surgery for colon or rectal cancer, less than half of patients have had one 14 months after colorectal surgery intended to cure their cancer.

A study of stage I, II, and III colorectal cancer patients in the United States found that only 49 percent had received the recommended colonoscopy.

Currently follow-up guidelines call for a surveillance colonoscopy to look for local cancer recurrence or new polyps or cancers a year after surgery. If that exam is normal, another colonoscopy is called for three years later and then every five years. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on September 2nd, 2010
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | No Comments »
Tags: colonoscopy, surveillance, survivorship

More Choices Increase Colorectal Cancer Screening Use

When people were offered a personal choice of either FOBT or colonoscopy screening by their primary care provider, more actually completed the test they chose than if only one option was offered.

In a study of 1,000 ethnically and racially diverse people, the lowest percentage had a colonoscopy when that was the only test offered. More completed fecal occult blood testing if it was the single choice. Overall 65 percent of the 1,000 patients studied were screened after their doctor recommended testing. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on May 8th, 2010
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | No Comments »
Tags: colonoscopy, colorectal cancer screening, FOBT

Nurses Endoscopists Can Perform Colonoscopy Safely and Effectively

Nurses and other health professionals may be necessary to meet demand for colonoscopies as colorectal cancer screening programs grow to meet needs. Being sure that they can meet standards for quality exams is critical.

In the Netherlands, five nurse endoscopists were trained to do colonoscopies under the supervision of a senior gastroenterologist. Each had 100 consecutive procedures evaluated for both quality and patient satisfaction.

During the study their exams met international standards for quality, and 95 percent of patients said that, overall, they were satisfied with their experience. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on May 7th, 2010
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | No Comments »
Tags: colonoscopy, nurse endoscopist

Annual Colonoscopy for Lynch Syndrome

Annual colonoscopies for people with Lynch syndrome (HNPCC or hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer) successfully find cancers at an early stage.

A recent study by the German HNPCC Consortium confirmed the effectiveness of annual colonoscopies to find colorectal cancers at a curable stage. Regular colonoscopies found early cancers more often than did patient symptoms.

Current recommendations are for surveillance colonoscopies to begin by age 25, be repeated every 1 to 2 years until age 40, and then annually.

Posted by Kate Murphy on March 12th, 2010
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | No Comments »
Tags: colonoscopy, HNPCC, Lynch syndrome