And this swigging marathon came after spending the day on a liquid diet. A colonoscopy also follows a dark, sinuous course. OK, here's my real point. In a sense, colonoscopies and regular exercise can work to accomplish the same goal. Colon and rectum cancer are the second-leading causes of cancer deaths in this country.
Lung cancer is the first.
So if you don't smoke and you get a colonoscopy every five to 10 years, depending on your circumstances, beginning at age 50, you can dramatically reduce the prospect of dying from the two leading causes of cancer deaths. Last year, Katie Couric underwent a colonoscopy on national TV to show how simple and painless the exam can be. She did this after the colon cancer death of her husband at the age of 42. I'm 49, and my colonoscopy was performed late last month at St. Joseph's Hospital by Milwaukee gastroenterologist John E. Stone. I didn't think any of the networks would be interested in filming my procedure, so you'll just have to use your imagination.