It’s not unusual to be afraid of having a colonoscopy for colon cancer screening. One needs a lot of preparation for this test, including a special diet, fasting, taking a laxative, or using an enema to empty your colon before undergoing a colonoscopy in Thailand.
Nevertheless, having a colonoscopy is necessary for detecting colon and rectum abnormalities, especially a tumor or malignant tissue inside the colon. Moreover, a tragic fact from the Thailand National Cancer Center states that the number of colon and rectum cancer patients is constantly rising, from 10,624 patients in 2011 to 12,563 patients in 2014, meaning Thailand has the 5th highest cases of colorectal cancer in the world.
It is predicted that if there is no policy enforcement on colon cancer screening, the number of cancer patients will double in 10 years, and colon cancer will cause more than 3,000 deaths per year. This demonstrates the importance of colonoscopies and blood tests to detect colon cancer.
Uncontrollable Factors:
- Age: after 45 years of age, a person’s chance of developing colon cancer increases
- Having a tumor or polyp in the intestine
- Becoming less active or having a sedentary lifestyle
- Having a medical history of Inflammatory Bowel Disease or IBD
- A family history of tumor or intestinal cancer
Controllable Factors:
- Unhealthy daily diet that includes grilled or processed foods such as bacon, sausage, dried meat or meatballs
- Extra weight or obesity
- Lack of exercise or sedentary lifestyle by choice
- Smoking
- Frequent alcohol consumption
Colon Cancer Screening
According to an American Cancer Society recommendation, those with no personal or family history of inflammatory bowel disease, certain polyps, or colon cancer, can begin regular cancer screening at age 45.
The colonoscopy procedure in Thailand can detect polyps and harvest the tissue sample to be studied in a special laboratory test for malignancy . It can also remove certain potentially cancerous polyps before they develop into cancer.
The complexity of a colonoscopy in Thailand might be why some people avoid undergoing a colon cancer screening. Though the colonoscopy is quite safe, it can cause some complications such as flatulence, and there can be some bleeding in the case of tumor removal.
Blood Test for Colon Cancer
Medical technology has advanced in Thailand, which means we can now screen for colon cancer using a blood test. This removes the complex processes and unpleasant feelings before and during the colonoscopy.
The blood test for colon cancer screening can be performed immediately. The patient does not have to restrict their food and water intake for the procedure. The blood test is conducted in a specialized laboratory where cancerous cells contaminating the blood cell can be detected, and the result will be finalized in approximately 2 weeks.
Colon Cancer Blood Test Ensures Accurate Result
The blood test for colon cancer screening is well accepted nationwide. Research shows that this procedure has 95% accuracy compared to colonoscopy procedures in Thailand, and the state-of-the-art technology is still improving.
Avoiding colon cancer screenings is causing an increased number of colon cancer cases to go undetected. Most patients seek medical help only when the symptoms are already showing or in the late stages of the disease, which complicates the treatment and lowers the chances of curing the cancer.
It’s recommended that those over 45 years of age should have regular colon cancer screenings. Detecting the early stages of cancer will result in early treatment and improve your chances of curing colon cancer.
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