This is an article that
was featured on Fox News, detailing a new study from Britain talking about a
"new" standard of preventative testing for colon cancer called a
flexi-scope. I have some VERY mixed feeling on this.
First, the pros:
It's ALWAYS good to see this disease featured in the news. As you know, I don't feel that this disease gets the same media that some other cancers do, and any press is good.
It's good to see clinical studies being done to determine if there's a less invasive, less time-consuming way to prevent this disease. If there is, and I don't have to prep for the colonoscopy, bring it on. Until then, I'm busy in July - prepping for the tube up my butt!
Um, I think that about covers it. Onto the cons:
I have some real concerns with this article. I'll try to keep this short and sweet, but I'm not promising anything. First, let's take the statement that this test could reduce the number of deaths from the disease by 40%. That's great! However, they go on to say that colon cancer screening doesn't start until age 60 in the UK, but that this study was used on people in their 50s. Um, what? So, is this decrease in death due to THIS test, or overall testing? Especially when you see that the results of this testing were taken against 113,000 people who weren't screened. Again, is it the test itself, or general screening?
This test only scopes the lower part of the bowel. The thought is that by using this, in conjunction with a fecal blood test, would be sufficient. Hmmm.....but, what if I have a cancerous tumor in my upper bowel, and it's not bleeding. What then, I ask? What if my tumor isn't bleeding on the day I do the test?
The last thing (I think) that I'm going to go off about - their claim that this test only needs to be done once IN A LIFETIME. Are you KIDDING me?!?! If you have a polyp and it's removed, that doesn't mean your body doesn't make anymore. Based on what I know about this disease, having a polyp removed gives your doctor enough reason to issue you an invitation to visit him or her again in 3-5 years (sometimes as soon as 1-3 years) to check to see if any more of the nasty little buggers have invaded your colon. How is a one-time deal going to solve this issue?
All right - stepping down from my soapbox. *sigh* Deep breath.....in.....out.....
First, the pros:
It's ALWAYS good to see this disease featured in the news. As you know, I don't feel that this disease gets the same media that some other cancers do, and any press is good.
It's good to see clinical studies being done to determine if there's a less invasive, less time-consuming way to prevent this disease. If there is, and I don't have to prep for the colonoscopy, bring it on. Until then, I'm busy in July - prepping for the tube up my butt!
Um, I think that about covers it. Onto the cons:
I have some real concerns with this article. I'll try to keep this short and sweet, but I'm not promising anything. First, let's take the statement that this test could reduce the number of deaths from the disease by 40%. That's great! However, they go on to say that colon cancer screening doesn't start until age 60 in the UK, but that this study was used on people in their 50s. Um, what? So, is this decrease in death due to THIS test, or overall testing? Especially when you see that the results of this testing were taken against 113,000 people who weren't screened. Again, is it the test itself, or general screening?
This test only scopes the lower part of the bowel. The thought is that by using this, in conjunction with a fecal blood test, would be sufficient. Hmmm.....but, what if I have a cancerous tumor in my upper bowel, and it's not bleeding. What then, I ask? What if my tumor isn't bleeding on the day I do the test?
The last thing (I think) that I'm going to go off about - their claim that this test only needs to be done once IN A LIFETIME. Are you KIDDING me?!?! If you have a polyp and it's removed, that doesn't mean your body doesn't make anymore. Based on what I know about this disease, having a polyp removed gives your doctor enough reason to issue you an invitation to visit him or her again in 3-5 years (sometimes as soon as 1-3 years) to check to see if any more of the nasty little buggers have invaded your colon. How is a one-time deal going to solve this issue?
All right - stepping down from my soapbox. *sigh* Deep breath.....in.....out.....
Comments:
Marisa said...
I
heard about this latest study on the news this morning and like you, at first I
was excited but as I listened further to the report, I became increasing upset.
I agree wholeheartedly with what you are saying. I had my first colonoscopy at
41 (family history) and with good results and was told to come back for another
in 5 years. When I went back for my second colonoscopy I was told the guide
lines had changed to 10 years. I accepted that and went home but the more I
thought about it the uneasier I got. I pressured my family doctor to refer me
to a different specialist which he did and I got my second colonoscopy. My test
were clean and I felt so reassured. With two good test under my belt I don't
need another for 10 years unless I notice something going on.
I always teased my hubby (who doesn't have a family history) for years that I was going to arrange for him to have a colonoscopy for his 50th birthday. It just happened that he started to have some bleeding prior to his B-day so I insisted he see his doctor so he did end up getting scoped for his 50th however I was a little peeved that they only did a sigmoidoscopy.
I always teased my hubby (who doesn't have a family history) for years that I was going to arrange for him to have a colonoscopy for his 50th birthday. It just happened that he started to have some bleeding prior to his B-day so I insisted he see his doctor so he did end up getting scoped for his 50th however I was a little peeved that they only did a sigmoidoscopy.
April
28, 2010 at 4:14 PM
Later:
I'm not
going to lie to you - I'm pretty lazy. Which is why I'll post this link here, instead
of re-writing the entire thing. But, I'd like to ask you to check it out,
and see what you think. It's a posting on my other blog, and tells the
story of a pretty amazing realization I came to last night. It's the kind
of thing you wish for once you have kids, and I finally realized last night
that I have accomplished.
