Colon cancer is a leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States among both men and women. However, the death rates are declining, thanks in part to effective screening tools. When colon cancer is caught early, treatment is most likely to be successful. Learn more about GI Cancers and Colon Polyps.
Learn more about colon cancer screening guidelines by visiting the American Cancer Society.
The MedStar Georgetown University Hospital's GI department offers a comprehensive screening program designed to find polyps (noncancerous growths) and colon cancer before symptoms develop. Our doctors perform the most common screening technique, a colonoscopy, more than 4,600 times a year.
Colonoscopy
Colonoscopy allows your physician to view the entire length of the large intestine using a colonoscope, (a long flexible tube with a video camera attached), which is inserted into the rectum and snaked through the intestine. The test takes about 30 minutes to perform; throughout the test, your doctor can see images from the camera.
If your doctor finds any polyps, he or she will usually be able to remove them. Patients may receive "twilight" sedation or a form of general anesthesia. Learn more about the procedure, the preparation and what to expect for your colonoscopy at MGUH.
