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I'm a 73 year old female. I've never had polyps, but my father did, and had them removed twice. As far as I know, they were never cancerous, although he died of lung cancer at the age of 73. I've never smoked, but that means nothing to cancer. Because my father had polyps, my then Family Doctor sent me for a colonoscopy when I was 50.

My youngest son, now 50, was diagnosed with cancerous polyps in 2019, had surgery (two resections), and went through 6 months of chemo. He's been cancer-free since. The Gastroenterologist who diagnosed the cancer told him he wished my son had come to him 10 years earlier, because the polyps were so big. He'd never seen them that big. My son was 48 in 2019 when diagnosed. Ten years earlier, he would have been 38, and at that time, and they wouldn't have even bothered testing him. He didn't start exhibiting any symptoms (blood in stool) until the first part of 2019, when he made the appointment with the Gastroenterologist.

I'd previously been diagnosed with diverticulitis, and wasn't eating popcorn, corn, raisins, nuts, and although the doctor never told me not to eat seeds, I stopped eating them. Despite following a strict diet as directed, back in 2010, I ended up having emergency surgery as my bowel had perforated from the diverticulitis. I had to have a temporary colostomy for three months. I also have GERD, a hiatal hernia, and Barrett's Esophagus. Because of the Barrett's, I'm supposed to have a gastroscopy once a year because of it, but I don't. On Thursday I'm having a gastroscopy and colonoscopy. My doctor will do them at the same time, despite only being paid for one procedure. When I had my last colonoscopy, he told me I didn't need one for five years, but when I had my last gastroscopy two years ago, and told him about my youngest son's cancer surgery, he told me he wanted me to have a colonoscopy every two years. It's been four years, and I'm hoping that he'll tell me I won't have to have them anymore, and just continue with the gastroscopy as needed.