Sioux Falls, SD (KELO AM) - March marks the start of colonoscopy awareness month, a time to remind everyone over 50 that the disease can be easily spotted and treated with a simple procedure.
Dr. Christina Hill-Jensen with Avera says it's a matter of getting people in the door for the screening. "In South Dakota only 50% of people who are eligible for a colonoscopy will actually go in [for the procedure]." And while there are other ways to check for the disease, she says the colonoscopy is the gold standard.
Hill-Jensen says what scares most people away from the procedure is the preparation, which requires a person to go on a fat-free liquid diet ahead of the screening. Once the procedure begins, she says the patient is put under while physicians utilize a flexible tube with a light and camera to thoroughly examine the colon.
Other means of checking for colon cancer include testing your stool for blood, which should be done once yearly, and a barium enema.
Those at risk for colon cancer include individuals with a family history of the disease, those who are physically inactive, or those who consume alcohol on a light to moderate basis are also at risk. Current CDC guidelines state that regular colon screenings should begin at age 50, or age 45 for African-Americans.