How Can Colon Cancer Be Diagnosed?
Even if you haven’t had symptoms, you should regularly get the recommended screening tests to look for cancer. These include:
- Stool tests: Stool tests use a chemical or antibodies to detect blood or altered DNA in your stool. Depending on the kind of test, you will get this done between one to three years.
- Flexible sigmoidoscopy: A short and thin tube is inserted into your rectum to look for polyps or cancer in the rectum or lower part of your colon. You will get this test done once every five years.
- Colonoscopy: People with an average risk get this done every ten years, starting between the age of 45 and 50.
- CT colonography (virtual colonoscopy): X-rays produce images of the colon for your doctor to study.
If you have any signs of colorectal cancer or need follow-up testing for an abnormal finding, you will need some further tests to find out what is happening.
