Colon Cancer Screening in Lubbock, TX

Patients should consult with their GI provider at a Lubbock Digestive Disease Associates location regarding when they should go to the screening and what tests to have. Any of the following tests may be suggested for a colon cancer screening:

• Flexible sigmoidoscopy: A sigmoidoscopy is used to view the inner rectum and lower colon. A tube about the size of a finger with a camera (sigmoidoscope) will enter the rectum so we can take images of the inside wall, as well as a portion of your colon. The sigmoidoscopy can be used to take a biopsy of the tumor or polyp and to remove polyps. However, a colonoscopy needs to be done to view all of the colon and extract all tumors or polyps. This procedure is fairly safe, but there is a slight risk of a bowel tear, bleeding, and infection.

• Colonoscopy: A colonoscope is similar to sigmoidoscope, but it is longer and used to examine the inner wall of the entire colon. The colonoscope is put in through your rectum so the GI specialist can see a full view of the colon on the monitor. GI tools can be introduced into the colonoscope to take the biopsy and extract polyps. Sedation is needed. There is a small risk of bowel tears, bleeding, or infection after the procedure.

• Virtual colonoscopy: Virtual colonoscopy is a CT scan of the colon. We'll have you lie on the table while the CT scanner will take images of the colon. It is a noninvasive technique and doesn't require sedation. If any abnormalities are found, a colonoscopy will be needed to remove the polyps or tumors.

• Double-contrast barium enema: A small tube is inserted into the rectum while barium sulfate, which is a liquid that is white and chalky, and air are pumped into the colon. The barium suspension lines the outer walls of your colon. X-rays of your colon are then taken to identify abnormalities on the inner wall of the colon. If abnormalities are identified, a colonoscopy will be required to extract the polyps or tumors.

• Fecal test: This is done with a fecal sample and is completely safe. These tests may not give confirmatory results but could suggest abnormalities in your GI tract, necessitating further tests. A colonoscopy needs to be performed if your results are positive, indicating the presence of cancerous growths in your colon.

Our Lubbock, TX gastroenterologists perform three types of fecal tests:

• Fecal occult blood tests detect blood in your feces not visible to the eye through a chemical reaction.
• Fecal immunochemical tests detect blood through a specific immunochemical reaction of protein in your blood and is often able to detect nonvisible blood.
• Stool DNA tests identify certain abnormal/irregular DNA genes in the cells shed from cancerous growths or polyps in the stool sample.