If you are between 45 and 85 years old, you should have one Colon cancer screening routine in place, per American Cancer Society (ACS). But a Colonoscopy– where your doctor uses a special camera to look inside your colon and rectum and look for abnormal growths polyps– is not the only way to take control of your gastrointestinal health.
You can choose from non-invasive screening methods: Computed tomography (CT), colonography and/or a stool test. Billionaire, entrepreneur and Shark tank investor Mark Cuban told Assets He enjoys the relatively low cost and simplicity of the former, also called virtual colonoscopy. In short, it is an X-ray examination that does not require sedation or anesthesia.
“I like getting CT versions because while they’re not cheap, the cash price is far cheaper than the cash price of a traditional colonoscopy,” Cuban says via email, “so I can get one every few years and all seven the traditional ones. ”
Cuban says the cash price for his last virtual colonoscopy was under $600. The cost of the procedure may vary depending on your location. For example, in the 10038 zip code of New York City, where Assets A virtual colonoscopy with contrast costs between $496 and $2,613, with a fair price of $778 Health Bluebook. A traditional colonoscopy costs between $997 and $10,541, with the fair price being $2,712.
Because that US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends colon cancer screenings beginning at age 45 for people at average risk of developing the disease, as required by federal law Medicare and private health insurers cover the costs. This means patients don’t have to worry about copays or deductibles. However, the ACS notes that the definition of a “screening” versus a “diagnostic” test can vary by insurer, and not all plans cover all forms of colorectal cancer screening.
In addition, people at high risk of developing colorectal cancer may need earlier and more frequent screenings. Talk to your doctor about which test is right for you and discuss how to cover it with your insurer.
Arthur Winera gastrointestinal medical oncologist at Inova Schar Cancer Institute in Fairfax, Virginia, and Dr. Derek Ebnera gastroenterology and hepatology neoplasia fellow at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, discuss your options for non-invasive colorectal cancer screenings below.
What is a virtual colonoscopy?
While traditional colonoscopy involves passing a camera, called a colonoscope, through your colon and rectum, the virtual option involves X-rays and a computer that creates 3D images of these organs. However, neither test can be performed if stool is in the way.
“The initial preparation is the same,” says Winer Assets. “You still need to cleanse the colon so you don’t have to skip taking laxatives and going to the bathroom.”
You will also need to drink a contrast agent the evening before the procedure. Still, a virtual colonoscopy only takes 10 to 15 minutes – the traditional method takes less than an hour – and because you’re not sedated or anesthetized, you can drive yourself home or back to work and get back to your normal activities right away.
While CT colonography itself is noninvasive, your radiologist typically inserts a catheter into your rectum to inflate your colon with air or carbon dioxide.
“The colon – just like any cavity – if there is nothing in it, it will collapse,” says Ebner Assets. “The radiologists have to use this air, this gas, to open the colon and then use the CT images to see if there are any polyps or abnormalities along the inner wall of the colon.”
Traditional colonoscopy is safe, and the risk of the colonoscope poking a hole in your organs or causing an infection is low, Winer says. Virtual colonoscopy further reduces this risk. The virtual option is included a low radiation dose similar to other medical imaging techniques.
CT colonography may be appropriate for people who are averse to invasive colonoscopy or have problems with anesthetics. The procedure “has reasonable accuracy for detecting colorectal cancer and Adenomas (non-cancerous tumors),” says the USPSTF, and should be done more frequently: every five years instead of 10 years. Traditional colonoscopy remains the more comprehensive approach; CT colonography cannot remove polyps Those smaller than 10 millimeters may be missing.
“The advantage of a (traditional) colonoscopy is that it can both diagnose and potentially treat the problem at the same time,” says Winer, referring to the removal of polyps. “[Doctors] Thread a lasso around her and catch her. And when they find a tumor, they biopsy it and mark it with some ink to show other doctors where it is in the colon.”
Occasionally, a conventional colonoscopy cannot reach the beginning of the colon, says Ebner. In this case, your doctor may give you a virtual colonoscopy to complete the screening.
Medicare does not cover CT colonography.
Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun/Tribune News Service via Getty Images
What is stool-based colon cancer screening?
For some people, a stool test may be more convenient.
“The feces-based tests either look at your feces for blood, or there are some DNA tests that the specialty labs do to look for changes in the DNA of the cells that are in your feces,” Winer says Assets. “As feces travel through your colon, it can pick up cells from these precancerous or cancerous areas.”
The ACS recommends these options:
- Stool immunochemical test (FIT): This type of test is available over the counter and looks for blood that may be hidden in the stool in your lower intestine.
- Guaiac-based fecal occult blood test (gFOBT): Your doctor may provide you with a kit that uses a chemical reaction to look for hidden blood in your stool. This test restricts your diet somewhat; For example, it is recommended to avoid red meat for at least three days before the test.
- Multi-targeted stool DNA test with fecal immunochemical test (MT-sDNA, sDNA-FIT or FIT-DNA): Cologuardthe only test of its kind available in the United States, requires a prescription.
A disadvantage of stool-based tests, according to Ebner, is that they have to be done frequently: FIT and gFOBT annually and Cologuard every three years. If these tests show abnormal results, a diagnostic colonoscopy is necessary. Stool tests, on the other hand, do not require bowel preparation.
Which colon cancer test is the best?
“The best test is the one that is done,” says Ebner Assets. “What’s really scary is that something like this exists about a third of the individuals who are eligible for colon cancer screening [and] has not yet been screened.
“One of the benefits of having a lot of different options is that the person then has the opportunity to say, ‘Hey, you know, this is what works best for me,’ especially after we lower the age to 45.”
Winer reiterates: “My view as an oncologist is that anything is better than nothing – any of these tests. The worst thing anyone can do, in my opinion, is to do none of these things and just hope they don’t get colon cancer.”
Further information about colon cancer prevention:
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