Bowel cancer often starts as a small growth called a polyp. Not every polyp becomes cancerous, but left alone they can multiply, bleed, narrow or block the bowel, or spread. Colonoscopy allows those polyps to be found and removed without open surgery.
What the test involves
A colonoscope is a long, flexible tube with a light and camera at the tip. It is passed gently into the bowel and advanced along its length, about 1.5 metres, giving a clear view of the lining. You are sedated for the procedure.
Why it is done
Colonoscopy is used to investigate blood in the stool, painful bowel motions, a persistent change in bowel habit, unexplained abdominal pain, or diarrhoea that will not settle. It is also the standard test for surveillance in people with a family history of bowel cancer, and for follow up after previous polyps.
Because polyps can be removed during the same procedure, colonoscopy is both a diagnostic test and a treatment. Anything removed is sent for pathology.
Professor El-Khoury will talk through the operation with you in the rooms, covering why it is being recommended, what it involves, the risks and the benefits. He also provides Royal Australasian College of Surgeons information sheets on the procedure so you can read them at home and bring questions back.
This page is general information, not medical advice. What applies to you depends on your history, your examination and your results. Bring your questions to the consultation.