According to the American Cancer Society, in 2008 nearly 150,000 individuals were diagnosed with colorectal cancer, and nearly 50,000 of them will die from the disease. The good news is that with regular screenings, colon cancer is highly treatable and preventable. If it is detected at its early stage, the 5-year survival rate is 90 percent. If all adults age 50 and older were screened for colon cancer, the death rate could be cut in half, saving nearly 25,000 lives per year. Divine Savior Healthcare in Portage urges community members to see a physician for regular colon screenings and is pleased to offer patients several options for screening along with a team of highly trained, board-certified surgeons.

"All adults should have a colon cancer screening beginning at age 50, or sooner if you are at higher risk," states Dr. Robert Schmus Divine Savior Healthcare general surgeon. Dr. Schmus is one of several surgeons that perform over 1800 colonoscopies at Divine Savior Healthcare each year.  The purpose of these screenings is to detect polyps and find early stage cancers.

Divine Savior Healthcare offers patients the option of the traditional colonoscopy as well as the CT colonoscopy, both of which are highly effective in detecting polyps.  The traditional colonoscopy is an endoscopic procedure that requires the physician to use a thin lighted tube with a lens to view the lining of the rectum and the colon.  In order to enhance detection during these procedures Divine Savior is continually investing in technology, including new high-definition digital imaging.  If a polyp is discovered it can be painlessly removed during the procedure for further testing.  For this procedure the patient is required to consume a medication that cleans out the entire colon and rectum and is sedated for the procedure itself. The procedure takes between 20 to 60 minutes and most patients report feeling only slightly groggy and bloated following the procedure. It is recommended that this screening be performed every 10 years, beginning at age 50.

The CT colonoscopy is performed using our state-of-the-art 64-slice CT scanner to take 3D images of the entire bowel. This procedure does not require sedation, is non-invasive and the abnormal areas can be detected nearly as well as the traditional colonoscopy. This procedure does require the same bowel prep as the traditional colonoscopy and requires the patient to undergo the traditional procedure if an abnormal area is discovered. It is recommended that this screening be performed every 5 years beginning at age 50.

"Colorectal screenings have a certain stigma attached to them because of the area of the body concerned," states Matthew Lynch, Divine Savior Healthcare general surgeon. "It's unfortunate that many individuals do not undergo the screening because of this stigma. It is a very routine procedure, and the little bit of discomfort associated with it is minor compared to the potential life-saving outcomes."

If you are 50 or older and have not had a colonoscopy, please contact your physician or Divine Savior Healthcare Surgical Associates at (608) 745-5186. Individuals who have a family history of colorectal cancer or have had prior colorectal cancer or polyps should consult their physician about starting screening sooner.