Prepare
A procedure · Colon · see where this sits
Colon cancer screening
You’ve been told it’s time for colon cancer screening. You want to know why, what the options are, and what to expect.
- Screening prevents cancer, not just finds it
- Most people’s results are normal
- There’s more than one way to screen
- It’s a routine, well-worn path
Why screening works
Colon cancer almost always starts as a polyp that grows slowly over years. Screening catches and removes those polyps before they can change — which is why it’s one of the few tests that actually prevents the cancer it looks for, rather than just finding it.
- Colon cancer almost always starts as a slow-growing polyp
- Screening finds and removes polyps before they can turn
- One of the few tests that prevents cancer, not just detects it
- The best test is the one you’ll actually do — colonoscopy or a stool test
The options
Colonoscopy is the most thorough: it looks directly and removes polyps in the same visit, then repeats about every ten years if normal. Stool-based tests (like FIT or stool-DNA) are done at home more often, and any positive result leads to a colonoscopy. The best test is the one you’ll actually do.
What happens next
Decide with your provider which test fits you, and get it scheduled. If it’s a colonoscopy, the preparation is the part people dread — and the part we can make much easier.
Common questions
When should I start?
For most people at average risk, age 45. Earlier if you have a family history or symptoms. Your provider sets your start age.
Is the prep really that bad?
It’s the least popular part, but it’s gotten easier — smaller volumes, better timing. We walk you through it step by step.
Take the tools you need to move your care forward.
Continue in Colon Prep OS
If a colonoscopy is your path, the colonoscopy-prep chapter — and Colon Prep OS — take it from here, step by step.
A clean prep — and a better, more complete exam.
Ready to schedule?
Call the office to choose a screening test and get it on the calendar.
Appointments are with Rochester Gastroenterology Associates — for patients in the greater Western New York area.
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