Colon Cancer and Screenings: Why They're Important - March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month

  • Published
  • By Shari Lopatin
  • TriWest Healthcare Alliance
Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D. --  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, when colon cancer is found early and treated, nine out of 10 people will hit that five-year survival rate.

In fact, more than half of all deaths from colon cancer could be prevented if everyone older than 50 was screened regularly. However, as of 2008, only 63 percent of adults ages 50-75 had been screened.

How Do Screenings Save Lives?
The colon is the body's large intestine. Sometimes, pre-cancerous growths--or polyps, as they're often called--can develop inside the colon. These polyps have been known to form up to 10 years before invasive cancer develops, according to the CDC.

Colon cancer screenings can detect these polyps before they become life-threatening, allowing doctors to surgically remove them.

Types of Screenings
Some of the most common colon cancer screening tests are:

· Colonoscopy: Doctors use a thin, long, lighted tube to check inside the colon for polyps. Doctors can actually remove polyps during this test. It's recommended only once every 10 years.
· Stool test: Doctors will provide their patients with a test kit. At home, the patient uses a stick or brush to obtain a small amount of the stool. The doctor or lab can then check the stool for anything unusual.
· Flexible sigmoidoscopy: Doctors will use a short, thin, lighted tube to check for polyps inside the colon and rectum. This will only need to be done once every five years.

TRICARE Covers ...
TRICARE covers colon cancer screenings at no cost to the individuals.

TRICARE will cover one colonoscopy every 10 years, in line with CDC guidelines. Additionally, talk to your doctor to see which other screenings are right for you. TRICARE covers a variety of screening tests for colon cancer, depending on your doctor's recommendations.

For more information on colon cancer prevention, visit TriWest.com/Colon.