Millions Skip Test for Colon Cancer

FOXNews.com ^ | Tuesday, February 16, 2010 | Associated Press

[metmom]

WASHINGTON — Nearly half the people who need potentially lifesaving checks for the nation’s second-highest cause of cancer deaths - colorectal cancer - miss them, despite years of public efforts to make colon screening as widespread as tests for breast and prostate cancer. The dreaded colonoscopy may get the most attention but a cheap, at-home stool test works, too - and when California health care provider Kaiser Permanente started mailing those test kits to patients due for a colon check, its screening rates jumped well above the national average.

[therut]

I agree with you. The cost is a problem. And the “bent out of shape” was not directed at you but everyone in general.

[GailA]

I can handle the gatorade, it is not the best tasting stuff, but at least they now make it with less calories...I have to watch those like a hawk. My 5'1' height, and medium frame can't take to much weight gain...and I'm really pushing it at 144. I have Fibromyalgia and Osteo A, and it makes exercising difficult with the exception of walking and it's been way to cold to do that for the past 2 months.

My hubby is pushing for me to get one, he does, I'm over due as I'm pushing 63.

BTW to those thinking about doing so NO RED DYE products...like in gatorade or jello.

[CholeraJoe]

but the insurance companys won’t cover it due to cost...

Actually most insurance companies don't cover it because it hasn't been proven to be any more effective in detecting colon cancer than other tests that are less expensive.

[metmom]

I’m sensitive to certain coloring and a lot of flavoring. I have to do something without those.

Otherwise, I’d CERTAINLY do something that tasted better.

[metmom]

I think that people should get one, at least.

I wouldn’t be getting my next one myself, but there’s other conditions that I need biopsies of my digestive tract for.

But I’m thinking that if everything comes back clear, again, I’m good for a LONG time.

I’d use the other less invasive tests for screening.

[tatsinfla]

but you would think that if it is at least as good as a colonoscopy they would cover it to reduce the risk of other problems due to going under etc...and the fact that more people would get the test due to it being non invasive therefore possible reducing future costs by catching something up front....

[CholeraJoe]

It hasn’t been shown to be any better than stool collection and testing, which costs a few dollars and carries no risk.

[tatsinfla]

yes but stool collection will show signs of blood in the stool which at that point could be far worse....the other testing will catch polyps in the early stages to prevent the possiblity of developing into cancer....the colonoscopy and the mri type screen test are meant to catch something before cancer has developed...

[brewcrew]

On the contrary...

Everyone gets it but you.

Why don’t you go play in traffic somewhere?

Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!

[BrandtMichaels]

I went to the family doctor at 39 for the test knowing
it was almost 100% they’d recommend a colonoscopy.

Never had it, I did not have the money nor insurance and
I did not care for the possible do-over every 5-10 yrs
nor the minute possibility of scraping a colon wall.

I tried lots of variations on diet and exercise before
an accidental visit to a chiropractor about 5 years ago.
I’m 48 now with no bloody stools and regular healthy bm.

It was the best ‘medicine’ and least costly even though
I’ve spent an avg of 1k/yr. My overall health is improved
and imho better than I was even at 28.

I still vaguely remember the visit to our first family
doctor when I was maybe 5-6 telling my mother that my
late potty-training problems were ‘all in my head’, rather
than simply admitting that he could find no problems. Now
I’m fairly certain it was subluxations in my lower back most
probably from child-birth seeing as how I had problems much
earlier than most of the adult population.

See my homepage for more chiro details.

[BrandtMichaels]

As a programmer I also believe that most cancers and heart
‘disease’ are more likely culprits of subluxations.

Spinal communications control all of the involuntary body
functions. Subluxations impinge on this communications
estmated at hundreds of trillions of messages/second.

Did you know all of the cells in your body (not the brain)
are replaced/regenerated over the course of a year. More
vital organs get replacements much more quickly - the heart
is completely regenerated in less than 1 month.

What do you think could cause cells to multiply out of
control? I think it’s possible for subluxations to
damage the instruction sets in th spinal messages to
cause an infinite loop or other ‘bugs’ in the code.

[mysterio]

but you would think that if it is at least as good as a colonoscopy they would cover it to reduce the risk of other problems due to going under etc

You'd think.

But a lot of those companies will do anything to sit on a buck for this quarter's bottom line, even if it screws them in the long run. Even if it kills people. I find companies that engage in that kind of practice to be disgusting. A colonoscopy is hardly experimental or contravention. That any insurance company doesn't cover it is insane.

[GailA]

They are good for several years, hubby doesn’t need to go back for 5 years, first time they removed pylops and he had to go back in 2 years. He’s 70 in July.

[BrandtMichaels]

Hi conservativegranny,

I noticed in your posts that you and I were ‘in the same boat’ and just wanted to refer you to my posts on this thread in 110 & 111. Hope it helps.