@ucbalumnus and @Consolation - Thank you both for the info. Genetic testing sounds like a worthwhile option.
Consolation, best wishes for continued NED.
@websensation I had a completely clear colonoscopy in spring of 2010. No polyps. Got the â10-year ticket.â Spring of 2018, emergency surgery for blockage, Stage IV.
Iâm just sayinâ. B-)
@Consolation, that must have been a huge blow. Youâve been through a lot. Best wishes for a complete remission.
@Consolation Man, wish you the best.
I marked on my calendar to have another one done in 4 years. I heard that when the cancer is an aggressive one, it grows real fast. I know someone who had a clean stomach endoscopy result one year ago but was diagnosed with an early stomach cancer with aggressive growth. Cut out half of her stomach and is now fine. Caught it early but still had to cut out half.
Also, donât forget that all tumors do not bleed and all tumors that bleed do not bleed all the time. So it is quite possible to have a negative result with one of the fecal tests and still have cancer. Although I obviously have no idea whether a fecal test would have picked up my cancer, I never at any point had any visible blood of any kind in my stool.
I donât want to be alarmist, and there is no doubt that the best test is the test you actually DO, but I think that weâespecially those with risk factorsâneed to be clear-eyed about what we are doing. If I were going to depend on one of the fecal tests Iâd want to look further into its accuracy, if such info is available.
The stool tests exist to detect blood that is not obviously visible. Because they are inexpensive and noninvasive, they can be done more frequently (e.g. every year), unlike colonoscopy, which is expensive and carries enough medical risks that it is not normally advised to be done that frequently as a primary screening method.
You may want to read https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/Page/Document/RecommendationStatementFinal/colorectal-cancer-screening2 , which includes some helpful tables and figures that can let you compare the benefits and harms of various screening methods (see the table and figure at the bottom for the summary).
But then someone who is really concerned about getting the earliest possible detection could consider doing colonoscopy on the usual schedule, but also do FIT on the off years, just in case a colorectal cancer develops faster than the colonoscopy schedule. But that would mean accepting the chance of extra medical risk and cost if FIT gives a false positive that leads to an immediate colonoscopy.
I am aware of that. Nontheless, the fact remains that the stool tests have their limits, as well as their virtues.
The information you posted would appear to be out of date. The recommended screening age has been lowered to 40. You may be unaware that there has been a huge increase in colorectal cancer among people in their 30s and 40s.
Iâve read some preps are much, much easier to take than others. Can someone tell me what they are called so when itâs time I can ask for the right one?
TIA!
The only recommendation for colon cancer screening for healthy people before age 50 is ACSâ recommendation to start at age 45, not 40.
ACSâ recommendation does not otherwise conflict with that of the USPSTF with respect to types of screening options.
@Consolation, Iâm so sorry for what youâve been through and hope itâs all behind you for good.
The recent discussion on this thread is making me nervous. Had my first colonoscopy at 50 and they removed a few polyps and I was told to come back in 7 years. Called around my 57th birthday and, clearly, I didnât jump on it right as I turned 50 bc I was told to wait until a full 7 years which will be in March. Iâll go in March but Iâm wondering what might be growing in me nowâŠ
I have a colonoscopy every 5 years (mother had cc); my first experience was a nightmare - not enough sedation, came through anesthesia half way through - just awful. Dr. went to jail a few months laterâŠ! I just learned today that a close friend was just dx w colon cancer; that reminded me that i am 5m overdue for my screening. Iâm going to get right on it tomorrow.
I am glad you are out of the risk and have recovered.
Can you describe what symptom lead you to have a check up since your examination is not due.
@artloversplus I had a full-blown blockage in my colon! Emergency surgery, not a checkup. 
During the couple weeks before that I had some little pings of pain occasionally, and since it had hung around and not developed into a stomach bug I planned to call my doctor, but was too busy with a couple of events to do so. Then overnight it turned into big time pain and I ended up going to the hospital since it was Saturday.
Before that I had had a tendency toward extremely loose stools for a long time, but I assumed that was caused by metformin, which I take for T2 diabetes. Itâs a well-known side effect of metformin, and I had been having it for years, so I didnât think anything of it. And it probably had nothing to do with it, until maybe the very end. At the risk of TMI, when you have a partial blockage of the colon, you might see very thin stools, or liquid, because that is all that can squeeze past.
Sorry, but I have lost all decency when it comes to discussing matters of the bowels, as my appalled S has pointed out! D)
To answer your question, there are plenty of articles discussing the new development of colonoscopy prep drugs. You can find them using google search. For example:
https://stopcoloncancernow.com/colonoscopy/colonoscopy-prep/types-of-colon-prep
@Consolation: Was the blockage itself due to a tumor? I ask because S1 has had three blockages, but they have been due to scar tissue from a major surgery when his appendix ruptured 20 years ago. Each time his blockage has resolved itself, after insertion of an NG tube.
@Consolation, thatâs very important info you have provided. Colon cancer patients frequently report âribbon-likeâ stools that occur because of blockage caused by the tumor.
Anyone who has had abdominal surgery can experience blockages caused by adhesions (string like scar tissue) that close off the small intestines from the outside. These small bowel blockages can be life threatening if not treated properly.
See image:
http://www.clearpassage.com/the-most-common-causes-of-bowel-obstruction/
Large bowel (aka colon) obstructions caused by adhesions are actually not common.
With the colon, blockages can occur on the inside, usually from cancerous tumors, which is why the string like stools are seen. Other causes of colon (aka large bowel) blockages are volvulus, hernia, inflammatory bowel disease, and diverticulitis.
@VeryHappy The blockage was due to the tumor, which had grown around the circumference of the interior of the colon at least partway. I actually had a loose stool, as usual, the morning of the surgery, so it never occurred to me that that was what was going on. I subsequently found out that lots of material had accumulated on the upstream side, and my colon there was dangerously distended, hence the pain. Luckily, it was resected and didnât perforate, which would have been a REAL mess!
Yowie.
âSorry, but I have lost all decency when it comes to discussing matters of the bowels, as my appalled S has pointed out!â
It is much worse to lose life. Thank you for openly talking about your cancer, Consolation. It is so true that folks are ashamed to talk about cancers âbelow the beltâ until it is too late.
@Consolation
I admire your courage and candidness to discuss your personal medical problem. Your posting will benefit all of us to checkup our health more frequently. Although your experience cannot be avoided because medical conditions do happen unexpectedly.