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Slow Colonoscopy Better for Detecting Bowel Cancer
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You may want to tell your doctor to take his time during your next colonoscopy. New research published in the New England Journal of Medicine shows that doctors who hurry through the test find only one-fourth as many precancerous growths as those who take their time.
Colonoscopy is the gold standard for screening for colon cancer, which affects nearly 150,000 Americans each year. Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death. Symptoms of colon cancer include bloody stools, changes in bowel habits, unexplained weight loss, and abdominal pain. It is estimated that at least 25% of men and 15% of women aged 50 and older will have one or more precancerous polyps.
Colonoscopy typically takes less than 30 minutes and involves a thin flexible tube inserted into the patient’s bowel, which is then slowly withdrawn to look for polyps. Finding precancerous growths early is the best way to prevent colon cancer.
During a 15-month study, 12 specialists analyzed nearly 8,000 colonoscopies performed on their patients, including over 2,000 first-time screenings. The doctors timed how long it took to perform the exam and kept track of the number, size, and type of polyps detected.
The time to perform a colonoscopy ranged from 3 to 17 minutes. Doctors who took time to perform the procedure were 3 times more likely to detect polyps.
Current guidelines recommend that doctors spend at least six minutes withdrawing the scope to help ensure they are not missing any growths. This study clearly shows that time needs to be taken to properly assess the bowel for pre-cancerous lesions.
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