Before Your Visit
Procedure Preparation
Everything you need to prepare with confidence
Proper preparation is one of the most important parts of a successful procedure. Below you'll find prep instructions, consent forms, and educational materials.
Procedure Preparation Instructions
Colonoscopy Procedure Preparation
Prep Instructions
Colonoscopy Prep Assistance
Colonoscopy Video: What patients can expect
Upper Endoscopy (EGD) Procedure Preparation
Prep Instructions
Upper Endoscopy: What patients can expect
What Is Colon Cancer Screening?
Colon cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States, but the numbers are beginning to fall as more people learn about the necessity of screening for the early diagnosis of common colon cancers. Screening tests, ordered before symptoms develop, can be critical to diagnosis and treatment. These tests help find cancer early, making a cure more likely.
Screening recommendations, as determined by a physician, depend on an individual’s risk for colorectal cancer. The American Cancer Society recommends a colonoscopy for colon cancer screening beginning at age 45. If no abnormalities are found, the procedure should be performed every 10 years thereafter, until age 75. People with a higher risk of developing colorectal cancer (such as those with specific gastrointestinal symptoms, certain genetic disorders, a personal history of polyps, or close family history of polyps or colorectal cancer) should begin screening at a younger age, more frequently.
Did You Know?
- Colon cancer affects individuals equally, regardless of gender.
- African Americans have a slightly higher risk of colon cancer.
- Nearly 75 percent of colon cancer cases have no prior family history.
- In its early stages, colon cancer generally has no symptoms and gives no warnings.
- The American Cancer Society recommends a colonoscopy as a screening test beginning at age 45.
- Polyps are benign growths that have the potential to develop into cancerous tissue if left unchecked. They can be removed easily during a colonoscopy, eliminating the possibility that they could become cancerous.
- A colonoscopy is neither painful nor unpleasant. Patients are sedated to eliminate or minimize any discomfort, and the procedure lasts 30 to 60 minutes.
- Most colon cancer screenings can be done at our outpatient center, rather than in a hospital.
- When colon cancer is caught early, it has a more than 90 percent survival rate, which is why screening is so important.