This examination typically is performed in the hospital, and it takes approximately 15 to 20 minutes. It is a painless procedure, performed in conjunction with conscious sedation. It is a gentle, safe and painless way to perform this procedure. This is the single most accurate way to diagnose colon polyps and colon cancer. There is no recovery period for the patient who has had a screening colonoscopy, with or without the removal of polyps.
Colon cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in the United States.
The best way to treat colon cancer is to prevent it. Careful screening and the removal of colon polyps can go a long way in preventing colon cancer. The American Cancer Society recommends that individuals undergo a screening colonoscopy beginning at age 50. Our treatments for cancer can range from polyp removal during colonoscopy to surgical resection. For more advanced cases, patients may require radiation therapy or chemotherapy.