It’s nice to know that some doctors practice what they preach. TV personality Dr. Mehmet Oz recently followed his own recommendation and had a colonoscopy when he turned 50. The screening test revealed he had an adenomatous polyp, a precancerous growth that his doctor was able to remove on the spot. Colonoscopies are recommended every 10 years starting at age 50 for both men or women to screen for colon cancer. Most polyps take about 10 years to become cancerous.

But as Oz’s case demonstrates, colonoscopies can also prevent cancer, by catching and removing polyps before they turn into cancer. Up to half of all adults will have some polyps in the colons, although only adenomatous polyps can turn into cancer. Other types have virtually no chance of becoming cancerous.

When doctors find a polyp, they insert a wire loop through the scope and cut off the polyp. Patients who have adenomatous polyps should be screened more regularly in the future.

— Markian Hawryluk, The Bulletin

Source: American Cancer Society