screening for individuals
not meeting high-risk criteria.
Medicare will pay for average risk patients to have a colonoscopy
every ten years.
The following symptoms might indicate
colorectal cancer:
- A change in bowel habits -
diarrhea or constipation
- Unexplained weight loss
- Blood in stool
- Anemia
- Narrower than normal stool or
feeling that the bowel does not empty completely
- Abdominal discomfort (gas,
bloating, fullness, cramps)
Who should be screened for colon
cancer?
Everyone age 50 or older. High-risk groups: Family history
of inherited forms of colon cancer, history of inflammatory bowel
disease, and personal or family history of colon cancer or polyps.
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