Bowel Screening Essay

The signs and symptoms of colon cancer are diarrhea and constipation that may last more than a few days. Also, cramping or belly pain, weakness, fatigue, and unintended weight loss. A medical professional diagnose the patient by finding something suspicious during a screening exam, if there are signs of colon cancer the doctor will recommend an exam. Some exams that can be done are a CT scan, colonoscopy, and biopsy, there are many more ways to find out if you have colon cancer. A CT scan is a scan "to make detailed cross-sectional images of your body". A colonoscopy "the doctor will look at the entire length of the colon and rectrum with a colonoscope (a thin, flexible, lighted tube with a small camera at the end)." Biopsy test

R.T. is a 64-year-old man who comes to his primary care provider’s (PCP’s) office for a yearly examination. He initially reports having no new health problems; however, on further questioning, he admits to having developed some fatigue, abdominal bloating, and intermittent constipation. His nurse practitioner completes the examination, which includes a normal rectal exam with a stool positive for guaiac. Diagnostic studies include a CBC with differential, chem 14, and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). R.T. has not had a recent colonoscopy and is referred to a gastroenterologist for this procedure. A 5-cm mass found in the sigmoid colon confirms a diagnosis of adenocarcinoma of the colon. A referral is made for

Screening tests are only available through biopsies. This means that basically once symptoms arise, one would be able to go and get a prognosis as to whether or not they have this disease.

Sorry to say, some colon cancers might be present without any signs or symptoms. For this reason, it is very important to have regular colon screenings or (examinations) to detect these problems early. The best screening evaluation is a colonoscopy. On the other hand, most colon cancers are connected with signs or symptoms. One of the early signs of colon cancer is bleeding. Most of the time , tumors often bleed only small amounts, off and on, so that evidence of the blood is found only during chemical testing of the stool, which is called a fecal occult blood test. Other signs and symptoms include:

What is Mr. Watt’s risk factors related to colon cancer? Consider all aspects of his health, his family history and his culture.

The records have been reviewed. The member is an adult female with a birth date of 05/12/1964. She has a diagnosis of early stage colon carcinoma. Her treating provider, Stephen Grabelsky, MD recommended the Oncotype DX Colon Cancer Assay.

There are about 35,000 new cases each year in the UK. More than 80% of

Medicare covers this test beginning at age 50 or older (no co-insurance, co-pay or Part B deductible) when it is done for screening only. In some cases this screening method begins as a screening tool and turns into a diagnostic measure. If the health care provider performing the test identifies any polyps or cancerous lesions that require removal and biopsy, the individual will be charged co-insurance or co-pay for the diagnostic testing (ACS, 2017 ). If a precancerous polyp or colorectal cancer is found, a colonoscopy would be required to visualize the entire colon to detect other polyps or cancer (ACS, 2017). The USPSTF (2016) found the benefit of this testing is less beneficial when it is done alone compared to when it is combined with an annual FIT. The availability of flexible sigmoidoscopies has declined in the United States (USPSTF, 2016).

While everyone should begin obtaining regular colonoscopies once they reach the age of 50 (or earlier if there is a history of colon problems in the family), you may need one at a much younger age if your doctor suspects you may have a colon disease, such as ulcerative colitis. If you are experiencing any of the signs of ulcerative colitis, then a colonoscopy is an important part of obtaining an official diagnosis, so you can begin treatment to help control this chronic disease. Read on to find out what to expect when your doctor suspects you have ulcerative colitis.

The American College of Gastroenterology Guidelines recommend colonoscopy,as the preferred cancer screening test for patients 50 years and older(Rex 2017). The technique of Endoscopic Mucosal Resection (EMR) was developed for removingsessile or flat lesions confined to the superficial layers (mucosa and submucosa) of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, including the colon, esophagus, stomach, and duodenum. EMR with submucosal injection helps facilitate complete resection of polyps (Hwang 2015; Fyock 2010; Steele 2013), which is critical, as incomplete resections may contribute to the development of colon cancer in patients despite being on a colonoscopy screening/surveillance pathway (i.e. interval cancers). (von Renteln 2017; Bujanda 2010;

Thus allowing me to form a differential diagnosis and rule out certain causes, such as; constipation, and indigestion. Subsequently, the physical examination enabled me to confirm a diagnosis of acute abdomen. As the patient was not experiencing any worrying (red flag) symptoms associated with abdominal emergencies, such as; appendicitis or pancreatitis. However, I did forget certain aspects of the physical examination and had to be prompted by the MO. Although with more practice such incidence would be reduced.

• Proctosigmoidoscopy. This test allows your health care provider to look inside the rectum for signs of disease or other problems that could cause this condition.

The second leading cause of death related to cancer in the United States is colorectal cancer. The VA medical center has made it a priority to screen veterans 50 years and older via a fecal-occult blood test (FOBT), sigmoidoscopy, and/or colonoscopy. The VA tracked the number of FOBT cards given to patients and how many were returned. The demographics of those who did not return the cards include: non-Caucasian patients, women, smokers, those living in rural areas, patients with health literacy issues, and patients with cognitive conditions associated with age (Department of Veterans Affairs, 2014).

If you're approaching your 50th birthday, your doctor may recommend a baseline colonoscopy. The American Cancer Society recommends that everyone should begin colon cancer screening tests at 50 years of age. A colonoscopy is one such test your doctor can order for a baseline and then repeat every ten years thereafter if the tests are negative. If your doctor finds early signs of cancer or polyps, you may need to have more frequent tests to keep an eye on your condition. Here's a look at why this colon cancer test is important for your health and how it's done.

Participation was highest among Europeans with 60.3%, followed by Asians with a rate of 51.3% and Maori with 42.0% (Ministry of Health, 2015). Females were less likely to have a colonoscopy and below 1.5 times less likely to have a positive iFOBT result than males (Ministry of Health, 2015). This variation was found for each age group (Ministry of Health, 2015). Maori were slightly more likely to have a positive iFOBT result than Europeans (Ministry of Health, 2015). Moreover, females were about twice unlikely to have and adenoma, advanced adenoma, or cancer detected than males (Ministry of Health, 2015).