diagnosis
Do I need colorectal cancer screening, and what does it involve?
Colorectal cancer screening checks your colon and rectum for signs of cancer. It looks for cancer before you have any symptoms.
Colorectal cancer screening looks for cancer in the colon or rectum before any symptoms appear. Finding cancer early can make it easier to treat. Colorectal cancer is one of the conditions doctors commonly screen for, and your care team can help you decide when to start and which test fits you best. There are several types of screening tests to choose from. A colonoscopy lets a doctor look at your entire colon and rectum using a scope: a thin, flexible tube with a light and a tiny camera attached. A flexible sigmoidoscopy works the same way, but it only checks the rectum and the lower part of the colon. A virtual colonoscopy, also called CT colonography, is an x-ray test that looks inside the colon without using a scope. Other screening tests use a stool sample instead of a scope. During a colonoscopy, doctors can also find polyps, which are extra growths of tissue in the colon. Most polyps are not dangerous, but some may turn into cancer, or already be cancer, so doctors remove and test them to be safe. Talk with your care team about which screening test, and what timing, makes sense for you.
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This page is educational, not medical advice. Talk with your care team about decisions that apply to you. If something feels urgent, contact your care team — for emergencies call your local emergency number.
More about Colorectal cancer
- What does colorectal cancer staging mean, and why does it matter?
- What should I expect during a colonoscopy?
- What tests can diagnose colorectal cancer?
- What's the difference between a stool test and a colonoscopy for screening?
- How often do I need colorectal cancer screening?
- What can increase my risk of developing colorectal cancer?