Get a colonoscopy
Dear Editor,
I would like to share my personal experience with your readers in the hope of helping someone avoid pain and suffering.
I have had a fecal occult blood test every year without any positive result; so I didn't think that I had anything to worry about. Earlier this year I attended an educational program by Dr. Walter Eskildsen on colon cancer. I learned at that time that colon cancer is usually quite advanced before bleeding occurs, which would show up on a fecal occult blood test.
I decided to have a colonoscopy, which found a large polyp that had to be surgically removed. I was fortunate that the pathology report was stage 1 cancer, which means that the cancer was only on the lining and had not spread. However; if this had been found several years earlier, it could have been removed during the colonoscopy and surgery could have been avoided.
I encourage your readers to have a colonoscopy beginning at age 50, and not to rely upon on a fecal occult blood test.
Sincerely,
George Young,
McCook, Nebraska