Tagged with “colonoscopy screening”

Negative Colonoscopy: No CRC More than Ten Years Later

No participants in a study of the German colonoscopy screening program who had a clear colonoscopy developed colorectal cancer almost twelve years after their exam.

Advanced adenomas were also reduced significantly. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on May 1st, 2010
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | No Comments »
Tags: colonoscopy screening, colorectal cancer risk

CBS Early Show Anchor Harry Smith to Have Colonoscopy On-Air

Anchor Harry Smith will have a colonoscopy live on the CBS Early Show March 10. He plans to tell viewers about the procedure while it is happening.

Evening News anchor and managing editor Katie Couric will be with Smith during the colonoscopy and as he prepares for it the night before.

Gastroenterologist Dr. Mark Pochapin will do the procedure at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on March 9th, 2010
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | No Comments »
Tags: colonoscopy screening, Harry Smith, Katie Couric, The Early Show

Colonoscopy Prevents Cancers in Left Side of Colon

While colonoscopy is effective in preventing cancers and advanced polyps in the lower part of the colon and rectum, it is less successful in stopping them in the right side or upper colon.

Looking back at almost 3,300 colonoscopies performed in community gastroenterology practices in Germany, researchers found a substantial reduction in large polyps or cancers in the left side of the colon and rectum among patients who had had a colonoscopy in the past ten years compared to those who hadn’t had one.

However, in the upper part of the colon, risk for an advanced polyp or cancer was the same whether or not the patient had a previous colonoscopy.

Overall, colonoscopy reduced the risk of a cancer or an advanced adenoma by 50 percent.

Posted by Kate Murphy on January 4th, 2010
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | 1 Comment »
Tags: colonoscopy screening, colorectal cancer prevention

Gastroenterology Meeting Highlights

ACG Annual Meeting 2009 Brief Reports

The American College of Gastroenterology held its Annual Scientific Meeting in San Diego from October 23 – 28, 2009 in San Diego. Research reported during the meeting included how videorecordings of colonoscopy improved quality tests, the effectiveness of a drug that reduces constipation from opiate drugs, and support for guidelines that call for screening colonoscopy beginning at age 40 for people with a family history of colorectal cancer. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on November 4th, 2009
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | No Comments »
Tags: colonoscopy, colonoscopy screening, constipation

President Obama: Colonoscopies Save Money and Lives

In his speech before a joint session of Congress on September 9, 2009, President Obama called out colorectal cancer screening as saving both money and lives. To applause from listening members of Congress, he said:

And insurance companies will be required to cover, with no extra charge, routine checkups and preventive care, like mammograms and colonoscopies because there’s no reason we shouldn’t be catching diseases like breast cancer and colon cancer before they get worse. That makes sense, it saves money, and it saves lives.

We applaud the President’s public acknowledgment that colorectal cancer screening saves lives and money.

Screening saves lives by finding cancers early when they are most treatable. Screening also prevents colorectal cancer by finding and removing precancerous polyps, which keeps them from ever growing into cancer.

Posted by Kate Murphy on September 14th, 2009
Posted in: Policy & Advocacy News | 3 Comments »
Tags: colonoscopy screening, HR 1189, President Barack Obama