The document emphasizes the importance of colonoscopy screenings, particularly for individuals with a family history of colon cancer or other risk factors. Testimonials from patients illustrate that early screening can save lives, as the procedure detects abnormalities before they escalate into serious health issues. Despite low screening rates among recommended and at-risk populations, health organizations advocate for proactive screenings, recommending various timelines based on individual risk factors and demographic considerations.

1. Gastrosymptoms.com
COLONOSCOPY SCREENING
FOR
SPECIAL POPULATIONS

2. That’s what a young woman named Danae from Washington D.C. told the Center for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) after her first screening. She was much younger than the usual
candidate for a colonoscopy, but with a history of colon cancer on both sides of her family, she’d
always been familiar with the importance of getting screened. Along with advice from her doctor,
she decided it was better to be safe than sorry. “Even though the process itself may be
uncomfortable, I would tell people who hesitate to get screened that knowing the results—whether
good or bad—is worth it,” she said, according to the CDC’s website.
In a series of testimonials, a myriad of patients, previously diagnosed with colon cancer or not,
defend the importance of getting screened. “If they can catch it early…why not get screened?”
David from Connecticut asked. Based on testimonials, studies, and statistics, it’s obviously no
secret that colonoscopies can save lives. The procedure helps detect growths, cancers and other
abnormalities at an early stage, before they can threaten your health.
Despite efforts to inform people of all ages about the preventative power of colonoscopies, the
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Heath System Measuring Project found that not
only is the rate of screenings for recommended populations low, but the number of screenings for
at risk populations is even lower.
Gastrosymptoms.com
“Knowing the results, whether bad or good – is worth it.”

3. Gastrosymptoms.com
According to the CDC, in 2012, more than 100,000 people were diagnosed with colorectal cancer and
more than 50,000 died, contributing to the disease’s status as the second leading cause of cancer-
related deaths in the country. But increasing screenings could significantly decrease these morbid
statistics by at least 60 percent.
In general, the United States Preventative Service Task Force, the American Society of Gastrointestinal
Endoscopy and the U.S. Multi-Society Task Force on Colorectal Cancer recommend that adults over
the age of 50 receive screenings including but not limited to: colonoscopies every 10 years, an annual
check-up and a flexible sigmoidoscopy every five years.
However, physicians agree that doesn’t mean other populations shouldn’t partake in the practice as
well. For example, according to a study published by the National Institutes of Health, a younger
individual diagnosed with Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP) syndrome, an inherited disorder which
is characterized by an extensive growth of polyps throughout the colon, has a significant risk of
developing colon cancer. This disease state is characterized by a mutation of the APC gene responsible
for generating a type of protein that suppresses cancer. Patients with this disease should have
screening colonoscopies starting at age ten, repeated yearly.
“Knowing the results, whether bad or good – is worth it.”

4. Gastrosymptoms.com
If an individual has been diagnosed with cancer or other diseases of the colon, including
inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, screenings should start
as early as eight to ten years of age and be repeated every one to two years, especially if the
diagnoses involves at least one-third of the colon.
The American College of Gastroenterology recommends family history of such disease states
should serve as an incentive to have annual consultations and a colonoscopy every three years.
As far as colon cancer goes, other factors can also contribute to an increased risk whereby an
individual would benefit from screening at an earlier age. These factors include the consideration of
race. African-Americans, for instance, have the highest age-adjusted CRC (colorectal cancer) rate.
The high risk affects all areas of the colon, except the rectum. For this reason, the suggested age
to initiate screening colonoscopies is 45. African-American women, especially, have a higher risk
compared to women of other ethnicities.
Overall, women have a higher rate of colon cancer than men. However, over time, older men are
more at risk, especially for diagnoses such as distal adenoma, tumors in the lower colon, and
proximal neoplasia, a type of abnormal growth in the upper colon.
Though the chance of CRC increases with age, such factors have been recognized as more
accurate determinant of risk rather than age alone.
“Knowing the results, whether bad or good – is worth it.”

5. If you’re unsure of your risk factors, would like more information or would
like to schedule a personal screening, please visit the link below.
Visit this Link to Find a
Gastroenterologist in your Area
http://gastrosymptoms.com/find-a-
gastroenterologist-in-your-area/