College Park Family Care has Board-Certified Family Physicians with advanced training in Endoscopy and over 30 years of experience performing Gastrointestinal Endoscopy procedures including Diagnostic and Therapeutic Colonoscopy, Flexible Sigmoidoscopy and Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) procedures.
Our Endoscopy team works with our primary care doctors and other specialists to diagnose and treat a number of Gastrointestinal issues and to provide routine screening for Colon Cancer according to the recommended guidelines from the American College of Gastroenterology.
Our staff of experienced Endoscopists, Nurses, and Anesthesia providers strive to provide the highest level of personal and quality health care.
Why screen for colon cancer?
Colorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer and cause of death in the United States*. The risk of developing colorectal cancer is 1 in 20 for individuals without a family history of colon cancer, but significantly increases in those with a family history of colon cancer. Approximately one in three people who develop colorectal cancer will die of this disease.
Screening can detect precancerous( adenomatous) polyps that can be removed during colonoscopy and reduce the incidence of cancer.
Colorectal cancer screening is recommended for all individuals every 10 years beginning at age 50 for average risk individuals, and more frequently and at an earlier age for individuals with a personal or family history of colorectal cancer or polyps. Screening colonoscopy is also recommended to begin at an earlier age (40-45 years of age) for African Americans.
A preventable cancer
Screening can detect precancerous( adenomatous) polyps that can be removed during colonoscopy. Removal of adenomatous polyps prevents cancer.
Approximately two-thirds of polyps found on colonoscopy are adenomatous polyps. Adenomatous polyps are commonly found on screening colonoscopy exams and the likelihood of finding adenomatous polyps increases with age. Adenomatous polyps can grow and transform into colorectal cancer typically over a time frame of approximately 10 years. This allows Endoscopy providers the opportunity to detect and remove these polyps before they become cancer. Both the incidence and mortality rates from colon cancer have been declining in the United States with death rates from colon cancer declining an average of 2.7 percent each year between 2004 and 2013. Studies have also estimated a reduction of colon cancer related death of 68-88 percent among people who undergo screening colonoscopy*.
The American College of Gastroenterology and The National Comprehensive Cancer Network recommend colonoscopy screening, when available, as the preferred screening/prevention strategy for colon cancer prevention.
* “Screening for Colorectal Neoplasia” New England Journal of Medicine 376:2 Jan. 12, 2017