Screening Methods for Colorectal Cancer

Colon cancer is both preventable and highly treatable when detected early. There are various number of screening options to check for colon cancer, but a colonoscopy is considered the gold standard. The screening methods are given below:-

• Colonoscopy is the preferred diagnostic tool for colon cancer screening. Research has proven the superiority of colonoscopy over other colon cancer screening tests
• Flexible sigmoidoscopy is a procedure in which a lighted tube (a sigmoido scope) is inserted into the rectum and the lower colon (also called as the sigmoid) is examined
• Virtual colonoscopy uses multiple computerized tomography (CT) images to create a detailed picture of the inside of your colon. Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT) detects blood in a stool sample. Blood in the stool may be a sign of colorectal cancer, but this is not a diagnostic test. If blood in the stool is detected, a follow-up colonoscopy may need to be performed
• Double Contrast Barium Enema (DCBE) uses a series of X-rays to evaluate your entire colon and rectum
• The colorectal cancer (CRC) screening project was undertaken by the Medical Advisory Secretariat (MAS) in collaboration with the Cancer Care Ontario (CCO)

• Computed tomographic (CT) colonography
• Magnetic resonance (MR) colonography
• Wireless capsule endoscopy (PillCam Colon)
• Fecal occult blood test (FOBT): It is done once a year. For these investigations, you receive a test kit from your hospital staff. At home, you use a stick or brush to obtain a small sample of the stool. You return the test kit to the doctor or a lab, where the stool samples are checked for the presence of blood