Colonoscopy

     Colon cancer is the third most common cancer in both men and women.  Screening colonoscopies should start at the age of 45.  A colonoscopy is a procedure to examine, diagnose, and treat the inside of your rectum and colon. A colonoscopy is an exam of the colon and rectum using a tiny high-definition camera to search for polyps and cancer.  Polyps, growths in the lining of the colon that can turn into cancer, are removed in the same procedure.

     A colonoscopy may also be used to determine the cause of symptoms such as rectal bleeding, diarrhea, or constipation. 

     A colonoscopy is considered the gold standard in colorectal cancer screening.