Know Your Options for Colorectal Cancer Screening at Grove City Hospital

Your colon helps you digest food and process waste. As you get older, keeping your colon healthy is key — and regular cancer screenings can help prevent problems before they start.

AHN Grove City Hospital offers several screening options to help you choose what’s right for you.

Colonoscopy: The gold standard test

A colonoscopy is the best way to check your colon health. During this test, your gastroenterologist will look inside your colon for signs of swelling or small growths called polyps. Many people have polyps, and most are harmless. And, if they’re removed early, they won’t have a chance to become cancer later.

“A colonoscopy is about prevention, not fear,” said Armando Sciullo, MD, chief of surgery at AHN Grove City Hospital. “It gives us a chance to find and stop problems early.”

Preparing for your colonoscopy

There are several options available to you for colonoscopy prep the day before your procedure, including drinking powder or a liquid solution, or taking a pill. This will help clear out your colon so your doctors can examinate it more easily.

You can talk with your doctor about which option is right for you.

What happens during a colonoscopy?

On the day of your colonoscopy, your doctors at AHN Grove City Hospital will:

• Give you anesthesia, so you won’t feel anything during the procedure.
• Do a rectal and colon exam to look for inflammation in the colon lining.
• Remove any small polyps that they find on your colon.
• If necessary, do a biopsy (take a tissue sample) of any larger polyps that look concerning, and send the sample to a lab for testing.

You will likely go home the same day as your colonoscopy, so you should plan to have someone with you that can drive you home afterward. Your doctor will schedule a follow-up appointment with you to discuss what they discover from the colonoscopy, if more tests or examination is needed.

Other screening options

While most doctors suggest colonoscopies, there are at-home screening options to check on your colon health.

“A colonoscopy is the most reliable way to find colorectal cancer, but we understand that everyone’s situation is different,” said Dr. Sciullo. “We work with each patient to find the best solution for them to get answers about their health.”

Screening alternative: FIT test

A Fecal Immunochemical Test, or FIT test, is a simple at-home stool test that checks for hidden blood. It’s non-invasive and convenient, but it may still need to be followed up with a colonoscopy. FIT tests can alert patients and their doctors that something is wrong and needs to be looked at more closely, but it’s generally not used to provide a formal cancer diagnosis.

Your doctors at AHN Grove City Hospital can answer questions about screening options and help you decide which screening method is right for you, based on your symptoms and needs.

When should you get screened?

Colonoscopies are recommended every 10 years for most people starting at age 45. However, if you have a family history of colon cancer or notice any changes in your body, talk to your doctor. They may have you start screening earlier.

While early-stage polyps may not present symptoms, it’s important to pay attention to:

• Changes in how often you go to the bathroom
• Tiredness or shortness of breath not explained by other health issues
• Unintentional weight loss
• A family history of polyps or cancer

Take control of your colon health

Getting screened is one of the most powerful steps you can take to protect your health — and it doesn’t have to be scary.

Learn more about how gastroenterologists at AHN Grove City Hospital can help guide you through the screening process and choose what’s right for you.