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Doctor insights on: Medicare Colon Cancer Screening

Yes: Colonoscopy screening is covered by medicare. Find a gastroenterology office or clinic and they can verify this for you. ...Read more

Yes.: That is one of the main reasons for colonoscopy. The gastroenterologist usually can see every part of the colon wall and biopsy suspicious lesions. Often this is curative if found early. While not completely true, consider all polyps to be future cancers and most cancers come from polyps. Screening should begin at age 50 unless there is a history to suggest beginning earlier. ...Read more

Depends on stage: Chemotherapy is never used for stage 1 cancers (early). It is sometimes used in stage 2 cancers (early but more advanced than stage 1). Chemotherapy is definitely beneficial in stage 3 cancers (locally advanced) and in stage 4 cancers (distant spread). ...Read more

Likely: Cancers start as polyps. Removing polyps decreases cancer risk, but no test guarantees finding every polyp. ...Read more

For the most part.: Early detection via colonosocpy, not ignoring symptoms such as bleeding, change in bowels, anemia, unintentional weight loss, and not assuming all rectal bleeding is from hemorrhoids are some ways to reduce your chances and maybe prevent colon cancer from developing. ...Read more

Sometimes: Some colon cancers are related to specific genetic mutations but the majority are not. ...Read more

Pap smear: Have your pap smear done starting at age 21 and is the best thing you can do to prevent it. ...Read more

Depending how used: CEA first identified in 1965 by Phil Gold and Samuel O. Freedman in human colon cancer extracts. Thought to be valuable for dx colorectal Ca but the glycoprotein is also expressed in inflamed tissue so that smoking and enema can cause rise. Best used for monitoring so that if present in primary and rises it represents treatment failure and if diminishes during treatment it represents a response. ...Read more

Yes: Yes. Many people are cured with colon cancer. If found early surgery alone may be curable. If more advanced (eg, lymph node involvement or metastatic = spread to areas outside of colon), then chemotherapy may be needed. While less likely, even a few % of people with metastatic colon ca may be cured. ...Read more

No, not needed: The good news is that you don't absolutely need your colon. For most colon cancers, the amount of colon that needs to be removed will not be missed. ...Read more

Rarely.: Some hereditary mutations may increase the risk of both breast and colon cancer. Nevertheless, the majority of all breast and colon cancers are not hereditary. ...Read more

Not directly usually: There is debate about how closely these 2 cancers are related. Both have hereditary natures and are more common generally in obese patients. Both often begin with more benign precursor lesions like dcis for breast cancer and benign polyps for colon cancer. Both are very common but there is little evidence that having either predisposes to having the other. ...Read more

Many options: The gold standard is colonoscopy, which is performed under sedation. Other alternatives include barium enema, ct colonography ("virtual colonoscopy"), flexible sigmoidoscopy, and/or checking for blood in bowel movements (hemoccult test). I recommend colonoscopy for all my patients at age 50 (or earlier, if they have a family history). ...Read more

Doubtful: Psa screening of asymptomatic men has not been shown, conclusively, to reduce prostate cance mortality in the us population. ...Read more

Gail Risk Assessment: Gail breast cancer risk assessment tool. See: http://www.Cancer.Gov/bcrisktool/. ...Read more

Possible: But less than 20% survive 5 years. Depends on where the metastases are and how numerous and size. Solitary liver mets without evidence elsewhere in the body can be cured with a liver resection. Diffuse mets to numerous body parts rarelyare curable. ...Read more

Yes and no: It is treatable but not curable. That is, you can treat it and may knock it down for a while ..t but it will always come back. But there are many factors that play into it. See cancer.org or cancer.gov for excellent information on the stage and what to expect. ...Read more

Awareness: For you few years from now regular breast examination by the physician, monthly self examination, annual mammography , if needed sonography, some times mri, core needle biopsy of suspicious dencities. Genetic study ( braca i & ii ) if there is strong family history. ...Read more

Genetic mutations: HNPCC or hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer is an autosomal dominant genetic condition that has a high risk of colon cancer The disease first described by Lynch and is associated with other cancers including endometrial ovary and stomach. The increased risk is due to inherited mutations that impair DNA mismatch repair. .Individuals with HNPCC have an 80% lifetime risk for colon ca. ...Read more

Yes : Colon cancer can be genetic and there a re criteria that can apply and genetic testing is available. There is also a blood level you can check called cea . For stomach cancer like adenocarcina there is no genetic testing. There are familial syndromes like men that can cause stomach tumors called gastronomas or ze syndrome. If concerned can talk to your doctor. But overall these things very rare. ...Read more