Colonoscopy Screening
Colonoscopy Can Stop Colon Cancer Before It Starts
Colorectal cancer diagnoses have doubled in people under 50 in the past few decades. If you are 45 years or older, it’s time to be your own health hero and start screening for colon cancer. If you have a family history of colon cancer or other high-risk factors, start your screening earlier.
Putting off screening could mean the difference between preventing colon cancer and a late-stage diagnosis. Don’t wait for peace of mind. You can now be seen for your colonoscopy within 2-4 weeks. Find an Oregon Clinic Gastroenterology office near you and schedule your colonoscopy today.
Get the Best Test!
Colonoscopy is the gold standard for colon cancer screening. It has the highest detection rate for precancerous and cancerous polyps and is the only test that can detect and remove pre-cancerous polyps at the same time to stop cancer before it starts.
WHAT TO EXPECT FOR A COLONOSCOPY AT THE OREGON CLINIC
You’re taking an important step in assuring a healthy you! You have chosen a board-certified specialist and a state-of-the-art clinic for your screening colonoscopy so you can be confident in the results.
Getting a colonoscopy is not as bad as you might think. But we get it—you don’t do this every day and we do. Our expert care teams are here to provide information and help you feel as comfortable as possible during every step. And trust us, there are no embarrassing questions! We’ll answer them all.
Here’s what to expect:
Preparation
You’ll begin preparing for your colonoscopy several days ahead of your appointment. To ensure a clear view during your colonoscopy, your colon needs to be empty. We offer the gentlest bowel preparations available, and your care team will give you a prep that is best suited to you and your system.
- Limit Your Diet. During your prep time, you may not eat any solid foods or consume any drinks or gelatin that contain red or purple dye. Clear liquids, broths, and even clear or orange gummy bears are fine. Our quick rule of thumb is: if you can see through it, you can have it.
- Cleanse Your Colon. On the day before your colonoscopy, you’ll take a laxative and only drink liquid to complete the cleansing process. This may sound obvious, but please plan to stay home during your cleanse!
Did you know? Incomplete prep is the #1 reason a colonoscopy can’t be performed. It may not be very fun, but it’s worth it to follow your specific instructions so you don’t have to come back!
Watch our quick video on colonoscopy prep at The Oregon Clinic so you know what to expect.
During the Procedure
After you’ve arrived at our clinic, we’ll take you back to the procedure area, get you comfortable, and walk you through the next steps. Our team puts your safety and comfort first.
- Receive Sedation. Your anesthesia specialist will administer an intravenous sedative and monitor your vital signs. The anesthesia will put you to sleep for the procedure. Many patients tell us it’s the best nap they’ve ever had.
- Complete the Screening. Once you are completely sedated, your doctor will slowly insert the colonoscope — a long tube with a small camera attached to the end. The tube also releases air to inflate your colon and give your doctor a clear view. If any growths or polyps are discovered, your doctor will remove or biopsy them. Your colonoscopy will generally take between 20-30 minutes to complete.
Watch our short video and learn about the colonoscopy screening procedure.
After the Procedure
The sedative medications you were given wear off quickly and you will be fully awake 10-15 minutes after the procedure.
- Get Your Initial Results. Once you are fully awake, your doctor and team will share the findings of your screening with you. If a biopsy was taken, they will follow up with you when pathology review is complete.
- Rest and Recover. You will be released soon after you’ve talked to your doctor. For your safety, we require a driver present to take you home. Resting at home for the remainder of the day is recommended. Unless your doctor suggests a restricted diet, reward yourself with a tasty meal for a prep well done!
Frequently Asked Questions
Colonoscopy enables your doctor to examine the lining of your colon (large intestine) for abnormalities by inserting a flexible tube as thick as your finger into your anus and slowly advancing it into the rectum and colon.
Colonoscopy is considered the “gold standard” for colorectal cancer screenings because it is highly effective in identifying precancerous polyps that can lead to colon cancer. It’s the only screening option that both finds and removes polyps in the same procedure.
We encourage you to ask your doctor about anything you don’t understand.
Cologuard and colonoscopy are two ways to screen for colorectal cancer. Both are effective, but colonoscopy is better at detecting cancer earlier when it can be treated and can actually prevent colon cancer by removing pre-cancerous polyps.
Cologuard is an at-home stool DNA test. You collect a stool sample at home using a provided kit and mail it to a lab for analysis. The test looks for DNA mutations and blood that may indicate the presence of colon cancer or precancerous polyps. If the test is positive, you will be referred to a gastroenterologist for a colonoscopy. Cologuard is 42-49% effective at detecting advanced precancerous polyps and needs to be repeated every 1-3 years.
Colonoscopy is a direct visual examination of your entire colon. This outpatient procedure is performed by a GI specialist while you’re under sedation. The doctor can see the inside of your colon in real-time, allowing them to identify and immediately remove any precancerous polyps or abnormal tissue they find. If normal, colonoscopy is 91-99% effective at detecting advanced precancerous polyps and can be repeated every 10 years if normal.
While any screening is better than none, colonoscopy is the best choice for cancer prevention and early detection.
Your doctor will tell you what dietary restrictions to follow in the days before your procedure and will prescribe a cleansing routine to use.
In general, the preparation consists of a limited diet and either consuming a large volume of cleansing solution or taking a combination of special oral laxatives and clear liquids.
No. The colon must be completely clean for the procedure to be accurate and complete, so be sure to follow your doctor’s instructions carefully.
Most medications can be continued as usual, but some medications can interfere with the preparation or the examination. Inform your doctor about medications you’re taking, particularly anticoagulants (blood thinners), insulin, or any GLP-1s. Also, be sure to mention any medication allergies.
Colonoscopy is well-tolerated and rarely causes much pain because your doctor will give you an intravenous sedative to help you relax and better tolerate any discomfort. Most patients sleep through the entire procedure. Some patients might feel pressure, bloating or cramping.
The procedure itself usually takes 20-30 minutes, although you should plan on two to three hours for waiting, preparation, and recovery.
During the procedure, you will lie on your left side or back while your doctor slowly advances a colonoscope through your large intestine to examine the lining. They will examine the lining again as the colonoscope is slowly withdrawn.
In some cases, the doctor cannot pass the colonoscope through the entire colon to where it meets the small intestine. Although another examination might be needed, your doctor might decide that the limited examination is enough.
If your doctor thinks an area needs further evaluation, he or she might pass an instrument through the colonoscope to take a biopsy (a sample of the colon lining) for analysis. Biopsies are used to identify many conditions, and your doctor might order one even if they don’t suspect cancer.
Your doctor might find polyps during colonoscopy, which will most likely be removed during the exam.
If colonoscopy is being performed to identify sites of bleeding, your doctor might control the bleeding through the colonoscope by injecting medications or by coagulation (sealing off bleeding vessels with heat treatment).
These procedures don’t usually cause any pain.
Polyps are abnormal growths in the colon lining that are usually benign (noncancerous). They vary in size from a tiny dot to several inches. Your doctor can’t always tell a benign polyp from a malignant (cancerous) polyp by its outer appearance, so they will send removed polyps for analysis.
Cancer begins in polyps, so removing them is an important means of preventing colorectal cancer and one of the top benefits of having a screening colonoscopy.
Your doctor might remove tiny polyps with biopsy instruments. A technique called “snare polypectomy” is commonly used to remove larger polyps. That technique involves passing a wire loop through the colonoscope to remove the polyp from the intestinal wall using an electrical current. You should feel no pain during and after the polypectomy.
Colonoscopy and polypectomy are generally safe when performed by doctors who have been specially trained and are experienced in these procedures. One possible complication is a perforation, or tear, through the bowel wall that could require surgery. Studies show a perforation rate of less than 1 per 1,000 procedures during screening colonoscopies.
Bleeding might occur at the site of biopsy or polypectomy, but it’s usually minor. Bleeding can stop on its own or be controlled through the colonoscope; it rarely requires follow-up treatment.
Some patients might have a reaction to the sedatives or complications from heart or lung disease.
Complications after colonoscopy are uncommon, but it’s important to recognize early signs of possible complications. Contact your doctor if you notice any of these symptoms:
- severe abdominal pain
- Fever and chills
- Rectal bleeding of more than one-half cup. Bleeding can occur several days after the procedure.
Your doctor will explain the results of the examination to you after you’re awake. You’ll probably have to wait for the results of any biopsies performed.
If you have been given sedatives during the procedure, someone must drive you home or join you on public transportation and stay with you.
Even if you feel alert after the procedure, your judgment and reflexes could be impaired for the rest of the day. You might have some cramping or bloating because of the air introduced into the colon during the examination. This should disappear quickly when you pass gas.
You should be able to eat normally after the examination, but your doctor might restrict your diet and activities, especially after polypectomy.