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Senior Care in Decatur, GA: March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
Recommended screening is an incredibly critical part of preventative care. Colorectal cancer
is a specific thing that all seniors should really be screened for. March is dedicated
to making men and women conscious of this illness. It is the second main cause of deaths
attributable to cancers that have an effect on both genders, and 90% of individuals diagnosed
with colon cancer were over 50. It is highly recommended that screening starts at age 50and
continues on right up until age 75. There are totally different tests that should be
administered regularly to test for colon cancer.
A colonoscopy ought to be completed one time just about every ten years. While in this
procedure, the large and small bowels are viewed with a tiny camera. This is done to
identify and remove any polyps and is imperative to premature cancer identification. The first
colonoscopy should be done at age fifty.
While a colonoscopy allows for the exploration of the entire four to five feet of the colon,
a flexible sigmoidoscopy permits the sigmoid colon or the final two feet to be viewed.
A colonoscopy is a recommended procedure over a sigmoidoscopy; however, a sigmoidoscopy
is shorter. A sigmoidoscopy should be given every five years.
A fecal occult blood test is a method of colorectal cancer screening that should be completed
on a yearly basis. This will require a stool sample being routed off to a lab for testing.
Chemicals are used to find blood that cannot be seen. If blood is found in the stool, further
testing is mandatory. A patient may be referred for a colonoscopy.
A double contrast barium enema may be used every five years for extra testing. This is
a procedure in which an X-ray of the colon is taken. The barium used in this assessment
highlights the large intestine. It is at the same time delivered to expand the colon, allowing
for clearer images. The barium will pass out of the body with stools.
Anyone between the ages of fifty and seventy-five should have standard testing for colorectal
cancer. Assessing should be started off earlier with family history of colorectal cancer or
with a diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease. Testing is also recommended in some seniors
who are over the age of seventy-five. Talk to your primary care physician about colorectal
cancer screening today.
Comfort Keepers provides in home caregivers in Decatur. For more information about our
caregiver services, please call us today at (404) 850-9200.