A 77-year-old male asked:
if a sigmoidoscopy scope shown no polyps or cancer in the area tested, does that mean there's no cancer throughout all of the colon?
3 doctor answers
Dr. Craig MacArthur answered
33 years experience Pediatric Hematology and Oncology
No: A sigmoidoscopy allows viewing of the rectum, sigmoid colon and occasionally the last part of the descending colon. This is about 25% of the colon and leaves 75% of colon unexamined and at theoretical risk for cancer
Answered on Sep 29, 2016
Dr. Paul Velt answered
41 years experience Diagnostic Radiology
Not really: Sigmoidoscopy looks at the sigmoid colon. However there is still that possibility that there may be something in the say cecum for which colonoscopy is a good way to check out that region
Answered on Aug 9, 2014
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Related questions:
A 38-year-old male asked:
Dr. Enrique Molina answered
34 years experience Gastroenterology
Yes: It is possible, although rare.
The most common explanation would have been a missed colon polyp during the past procedure, due to either poor colon p ... Read More
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A 30-year-old member asked:
Dr. Gurmukh Singh answered
48 years experience Pathology
Yes: Virtually all colon cancers arise from polyps and having polyps increases the risk of developing colon cancer.
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A 49-year-old member asked:
Dr. Carlos Encarnacion answered
34 years experience Medical Oncology
Not necessarily: ...As some polyps do not develop into cancer. That said, if you have "many" polyps, it may be to your benefit to visit a specialist in cance ... Read More
A 36-year-old member asked:
Dr. Mark Hoepfner answered
38 years experience General Surgery
Maybe: Larger growths can contain cancer, but other polyps can be large and still be fully benign. Pathology would review the polyp after it is removed.
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