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Colonoscopy Better Than Sigmoidoscopy For African-Americans, Hispanics
8/21/2012
According to several studies, African-Americans and Hispanics are at highest risk for precancerous colorectal polyps in the upper colon. The upper colon tends to house polyps that can go undiagnosed until the later stages of colon cancer. There is more space in this region of the colon, allowing tumor growth to happen without any noticeable symptoms.
If a patient has a sigmoidoscopy instead of a colonoscopy, the screening could miss polyps because it only examines the lower part of the colon. And since African Americans are most likely to have cancer growing in the upper part of the colon, a colonoscopy is the most comprehensive option for screening.
Another thing to note is that overall a colonoscopy is a more thorough method of screening for any race, not just African-Americans and Hispanics. Most physicians advise screenings starting at age 50. If you are over 50 or concerned about your colon health, schedule an appointment today.
Learn more about colonoscopy. Request an Appointment.