Why Your Colonoscopy Can’t Wait
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/ Categories: WELLNESS, 2021

Why Your Colonoscopy Can’t Wait

When COVID-19 made its first appearance in Bennington, many people put off their regularly scheduled care out of fear of becoming infected with COVID-19 at the hospital. While the fear was understandable, it was ultimately unfounded. No transmissions of COVID-19 occurred to patients that we are aware. In honor of National Colon Cancer Awareness Month in March, we’d like to encourage you to resume your regular screenings, especially your colonoscopy. Here are our top 10 reasons for talking to your doctor about colon cancer screening today.

  1. Early colorectal cancer often has no symptoms, which is why screening is so important.
  2. Colorectal cancer is pretty common. Approximately 4.6 percent of men (1 in 22) and 4.2 percent of women (1 in 24) will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer in their lifetime.
  3. Most people have at least one risk factor for colorectal cancer. Risk is greatest among those with a family history of colon cancer, older people, men, and African Americans. Other risk factors include behaviors traditionally associated with high-income countries: sedentary lifestyle, Western diet, and smoking. Nobody is at zero risk.
  4. There are lots of screening tests available for colon cancer. For people of average risk, most doctors recommend a stool test every year, a stool DNA test every 3 years, and a colonoscopy every 10 years.
  5. While a colonoscopy is an invasive test, it is especially effective at detecting colon cancer. It’s so effective that if the majority of people in the United States age 50 or older were screened regularly for colorectal cancer, the death rate from this disease could plummet by up to 70 percent.
  6. Polyps and lesions that can turn into cancer can be removed during a colonoscopy. Let’s ponder that idea for a moment. What if your mammogram or prostate exam actually prevented cancer? You would be absolutely certain to schedule it as often as it was recommended!
  7. Insurers understand how powerful colonoscopies are. They cover them, because they work. It’s far better business to pay for one colonoscopy every 10 years than for 10 years of colorectal cancer treatment. For those who are insured, your colonoscopy is probably free. Note, if a polyp is removed, your insurance may cover it differently than a screening.
  8. The doctors and nurses make the experience of having a colonoscopy as comfortable as possible. You can choose from a number of different anesthesia methods based on your own comfort level and insurance coverage.
  9. Lots of safeguards help make receiving a test or treatment at the hospital as safe as can be. Among them, hospital staff are fully vaccinated, which lowers the risk of spread. Many community members are also vaccinated at this time. We screen for COVID-19 before the procedure. We encourage you to wait in your car, using our virtual waiting room, rather than sitting in the waiting room. And finally, all patients are masked, and staff wear masks and additional protection to keep you and themselves safe.
  10. There’s a lot of satisfaction and peace of mind that comes with taking all of the preventive steps you can and increasing your odds of living a healthier and longer life.

Talk to your doctor about your personal and family history and about when you should have your colonoscopy. Then schedule it, prepare for it as directed, and walk into your colonoscopy appointment knowing that you are making great use of your time and effort. 

David Furman, MD, is a gastroenterologist with SVMC Gastroenterology, part of Southwestern Vermont Medical Center and Southwestern Vermont Health Care, in Bennington. This column was written as a part of Southwestern Vermont Medical Center’s observance of Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, which is celebrated each March. For answers to questions about colorectal cancer screening, call 802-447-5551.

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Moving Forward Safely

One of the most frustrating and anxiety-producing traits of our COVID –19 pandemic is how much uncertainty is involved in all aspects of this disease. Symptoms caused by the Coronavirus, age groups affected, the usefulness of medications, anticipated death rate, and the timeline for development of a vaccine are examples of information that sometimes change on a weekly basis.

Vermonters have done a great job of limiting the spread of the virus and protecting our most vulnerable neighbors by following the Governor's "Stay Home, Stay Safe" order over the past few months. Now, we've all been directed to wear masks in public. Both Bennington and Wilmington's Select Boards have passed local mandates requiring masks in public places. Thanks to these efforts—along with distancing, handwashing, and other factors—Vermont is among the states with the fewest number of infections. Continuing each of these important infection-prevention strategies is crucial to returning to a more normal way of life.

As we open up and begin to re-connect, we fully expect to see a rise in COVID –19 cases in Vermont. Thankfully, we have had time to prepare for this increase. We also have adequate PPE, and increased testing will help us gather crucial information for stemming the spread with less disruption to our normal lives.

More than ever, I find it helpful to focus on what we have learned and how it can help us move forward safely. Here is some of what we have learned so far: Most large hospitals, often treating over 1000 COVID patients daily, effectively protected their workers by obsessively following the rules of screening, hygiene, distancing, and masking. Each of these components is designed to work together; Each alone has its inherent limits.

  • Absent quick testing at the workplace, the best screening is asking employees if they have COVID-like symptoms (fever, chills, new cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, loss of taste or smell) and to stay home if they do.
  • Washing our hands (or using sanitizer) after touching well-handled items or visiting populated areas. Washing your hands 10 times daily is not too often.
  • Though an uncovered sneeze or cough can travel farther, 6 feet distancing continues to be the sweet spot for safety.
  • Masks (double layer cotton and surgical) are effective to prevent spreading of large and some small droplets containing virus. They also seem to give some minimal protection to those wearing a mask. Since possibly 40 percent of transmission happens when we do not have symptoms, we wear our masks to protect others and to suppress overall infection rate. They also help many people (not all) to avoid touching their face. The downside is a warm chin; the upside is you may be protecting someone from a significant illness. Masks are not a symbol of government intrusion. Masks are simply a tool to protect others and show empathy.

It is difficult to predict how many COVID-19 infections will occur in our communities in the coming months. What I am certain of is that our choices, on where we go and what we do, often affect the safety of those around us. As we learn to live with this virus in our community, following the recommendation above will help us all.

Marie George, MD, is SVMC’s infectious disease specialist.

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