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Colon cancer risk factors

If anyone tells you that I am anti-colonoscopy, that person has only his/her financial and parochial interests in mind, not your health or wellbeing. In the right hands and with the right intent, colonoscopy is an essential and important, diagnostic tool, particularly for persons in the high-risk group, who should definitely get screened.

When it comes to traditional invasive colonoscopy, seek out a top-notch and responsible endoscopist, who, at the very least, won't miss polyps or tumors, or cut corners in all other conceivable ways. There is no extra cost for having it done right!

Avoid CT scans at all costs to prevent unnecessary exposure to x-ray radiation. An abdominal MRI scan without bowel prep is the safer (radiation-free) approach, but not without the risk related to false positive readings, which will still require patients to undergo invasive (i.e. traditional) colonoscopy.

Here are, what I believe, some well-justified reasons (risk factors) to submit yourself to a screening colonoscopy. Please note that most of these reasons are self-made, fiber-made, or doctor-made. To avoid getting on this long list one must start avoiding all these perils as early as possible. Here we go:

Keep in mind that some or all of the above symptoms may also accompany genitourinary cancers and some other conditions. This seems like a lot of reasons, and it is. If you wish to avoid them — and most people under 50 easily can — study and follow recommendations in this section, on this site, and in Fiber Menace.