Screening tests for colon cancer
Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT)
This test looks for hidden blood in your bowel movement. For three bowel
movements in a row, you place a small piece of bowel movement on a card.
Then you return the card to the doctor, and the doctor tests to see if there
is blood.
Blood in the stool can be a sign of colon cancer, but several other things may cause blood to be in the bowel movement. Some of these things may be more common to Alaska Natives and include:
Eating Native and other meats before the test
Bleeding from the stomach or other places in your body
A common stomach germ, called H. pylori, that can cause bleeding
For these reasons, this test may not be the first choice for Alaska Natives.
Talk to your doctor about having this test.
Sigmoidoscopy
This test looks for polyps in the lower part of the colon. A doctor puts
a short, flexible tube inside the anus and lower part of the colon to allow
him or her to see inside. This test should usually be done every five years.
Colonoscopy
This test looks for polyps in the entire colon. A doctor puts a long, flexible
tube inside the anus and in the entire colon to allow him or her to see
any polyps inside. Most polyps can be removed during the test. This test
is usually done every 10 years.
Double Contrast Barium Enema
This test is an x-ray of the colon. You will have an enema with a white
liquid called barium. Then the doctor will take an x-ray. The barium makes
it easy for the doctor to see the outline of the colon on the x-ray. This
test is usually done every 5-10 years.