Colorectal Cancer Screening with Colonscopy

Everyone is at risk for Colorectal Cancer, the third most common cancer in the US and unfortunately the third most common cause of cancer-related death in the US.

Candidates for Screening

Every year between 30 and 40 patients are diagnosed with Colorectal Cancer, many of whom did not take advantage of the screening options that are available to them, that are of course free for TRICARE beneficiaries. You are a good candidate for Colorectal Cancer screening if you are:

Screening Options

Optical colonoscopy is considered the gold standard test for colorectal cancer screening because during the procedure precancerous mounds of tissue, called polyps, can be removed before they turn into cancer. For this test you must undergo a bowel preparation to clean your colon and the procedure is usually done with sedation. If the examination is normal then repeat screening does not need to be done for up to 10 years.

Other screening tests for Colorectal Cancer that are recommended by major societies include:

• Fecal Immunochemistry Test (FIT)
• CT colonography (CTC)

Both FIT and CTC must be ordered by your doctor.