Study blasts colorectal screening test

MSNBC ^ | 01/18/05 | Associated Press

[JusticeTalion]

Potentially cancerous growths missed 95 percent of the time

PHILADELPHIA - A common screening test failed to detect potentially cancerous colon growths 95 percent of the time, falsely reassuring patients and doctors, according to a new study.

Researchers found that the digital, in-office test on stool samples was not as reliable as a six-sample test given to patients to do on their own at home — although even that test detected potentially cancerous growths less than 24 percent of the time.

"What we found is that it was pretty worthless," Dr. David Lieberman, one of the study's authors, said of the in-office test. "It's a wake-up call that we shouldn't be relying on this test."

God bless our troops wherever they may be.

[snopercod]

Beer has lots of fiber in it, right? Dark Beer=Dark Fiber. I get it!

Here's to Reagan's colon!

[tubebender]

This is only for old people. What are we doing here? And what is this Dark Fiber Ernest is talking about...

[SierraWasp]

Heck I ain't old, or so I've been told, by someone who's bold, and din't wanna be left in the cold, or left outta the fold... so to speak!

Apples?!? I don't got to show you no steenkin APPLES!!!

An apple a day... keeps the Doctor away, right Ernest???

Dark fibre... Isn't that what hits the proverbial fan and coats the light bulbs till everything goes dark??? (or is that "Dark Matter?")

He snopercod and tubebender! Have either of you guys ever seen an arobic digester??? (you know... like down at the water treatment plant?)

[snopercod]

arobic digester

Sure. That's where the fecal debris hits the fan.

[snopercod]

This is only for old people.

Exactly what I said about my recent 40th high school reunion.

[SierraWasp]

"debris"

What's with the french fried lingo, there, young man??? Sounds like a Kerry matter to me!!!

[snopercod]

Bite your tongue young man!

My wife is a medical transcriptionist, so we talk about "fecal debris" and stuff like that over supper.

[SierraWasp]

"And what is this Dark Fiber Ernest is talking about..."

I'm not sure whether this is found on his beachfront, or if he's afraid of being left in the dark about it, or what!!!

Maybe he's recalling Dandy Don Merideth singin "Turn Out The Lights, The Party's Over!" But then that would have been "Dark Matter" and that's a truly universal subject, come to think of it...

[snopercod]

So what do you think of the rectum as a whole?

[monkey]

The tastless pills that take the place of the liquid are called visicol. Ask for them next time.

[SierraWasp]

I know! I was raised in a family of "medical professionals" and they can be really, REALLY, tasteless!!!

I don't wanna "bite my tongue!" My health insurance has a $2,500 calendar year deductible and it's too early in the calendar year to start in on expenses of stitching it up if it bleeds, if ya know what I mean...

[tubebender]

So what do you think of the rectum as a whole Hole?

Use your spil cker nxt tyme...

[eddie willers]

The Gastroenterologist removed 5 relatively small polyps,

How....and at the same time?

(I'm turning 53 and my doc suggested I have this done...but I'm scared sh_tless... LOL!)

[SFConservative]

Is the CT colonography as effective as colonoscopy at spotting and evaluating polyps? Are the preps similar?

[Ole Okie]

Check your freepmail.

[avitot]

ct colonograghy prep is easier and there are studies underway for new technique that doesn't require the laxative. instead people drink a barium based liquid that the computer can then use to distinguish poop from polyp making it much more palatable.the polyp pick up rate is equivalent-however you cant biopsy an image so the positive studies than go to conventional scope-but consider that there is a .1% perforation rate with scoping, and a high rate of incomplete exam(they couldn't get all the way though) it makes sense to start with ct. also when they can'tget all the way through, ct can finish the diagnostic job.

[MyFreedomIHoldDear]

I haven't had one, but after I do, I'll ask him if he could write a note for my wife saying that my head is not up there.

[July 4th]

Yep. If your doc is having you drink a gallon of fluid, he's a little out of date on his procedure. My family has a history of this sort of cancer, so I'm getting checked for the first time later this month. Purely preventative, but I hope there's nothing there.

[NY Attitude]

I did not see any mention of diverticulitis (SP)> I had the procedure done. The first procedure was call a "Flex Sig" where they only go to the first bend in the colon and the second one was the full deal. They had given me some sort of sedative. I could fell the camera inching its way through the various curves that it had to travel. The most embarrassing thing was the amount of gas that I passed in the recovery room. But then again that is normal for a guy, what can I say.

[SFConservative]

Thanks for the info. I assume that the CT approach is also cheaper, though it carries some probability of having to pay the cost of colonoscopy anyway if positive. So is there a logic here that says without history of problems, start and monitor with CT, and with history of problems, go directly to and periodically repeat colonoscopy?