In my case, I had put the procedure off for several years, and finally ran out of excuses. The doctor who performed the routine examination removed a small non-suspicious growth, and as a matter of routine, sent it to the pathology lab, where it was found to be cancerous. Although surprised by the results, she felt that she had gotten it all with the initial excision. This was substantiated with additional testing performed at a cancer center that she recommended. While the doctors are confident, there's no certainty that it's gone. However, all indications are good, and with (ugghh!) more frequent à ??oscopies, the doctors feel they can effectively monitor for recurrence. I suggested that with training, since I spend so much time with my head up my butt, I could keep a close eye on it myself. Ever the professionals, they felt that an expert (second) opinion would be more beneficial than just relying on my own point of view.
The reason that colonoscopies are such a good idea is that they are relatively simple to perform, very effective at detecting disease, and don't require hospitalization. Colorectal cancer is the third most prevalent, and the second most deadly form of cancer in the US. In 2008, an estimated 150,000 new cases were diagnosed, and approximately 50,000 lives were lost to the disease. Almost 1 person in 19 will be diagnosed with it during his or her lifetime. If the procedure is performed in time, doctors can detect many colorectal cancers early, when the cure rate is very high. If not caught soon enough, colorectal cancer is one of the more insidious forms of cancer, showing few, if any, symptoms. If caught in mid- to late-stage, the prognosis is equivocal, and the road ahead is potentially painful and debilitating, and very expensive.
Take it from me - denial is an ineffective preventive or defensive strategy, and avoiding the unpleasantness of a colonoscopy and its prelude is not a wise course of action. Some things are best dealt with head-on (pardon the metaphor), and the consequences of inaction or procrastination can be fatal. And as I've learned, having your head up your butt doesn't provide as good a view as a trained professional can get. So, if you've been depriving some doctor the joy of examining your nether region, park your excuses and make the call. It could just save your life à ?? it surely saved mine.
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