Colon Cancer Screenings & Tests are Saving Lives at Floyd

Baptist Health Floyd: Colon Cancer Screenings & Tests are Saving Lives

Baptist Health uses advanced screening techniques to proactively prevent colorectal cancer. Learn more about the colonoscopy procedure and colon cancer screening options at Baptist Health Floyd.

Colon Cancer Screenings & Tests are Saving Lives at Floyd HealthTalks Transcript

Abdul Jabbar, MD, Gastroenterology:
When you look at a colon cancer map of the USA, you’ll be surprised to see that, along the Ohio River, specifically our counties, Clark County and Floyd County, there are significantly high incidents of colon cancer.

With the screenings, we have definitely seen a decrease in colorectal cancer mortality. At least the screening itself has decreased that mortality up to 53 percent. Colonoscopy is one of the best tools available to identify premalignant conditions and take them out before they turn into cancer or diagnose completely asymptomatic early-stage colon cancer and significantly decrease mortality from it.

Colonoscopy is a flexible tube with a lighted camera attached to it. With the help of that, we can look inside the organ without doing any surgery. It is minimally invasive and requires minimal sedation and very little downtime. The procedure can be completed in 10 or 15 minutes to maybe 30 minutes.

With the new endoscopy unit, we can help our oncologists diagnose and stage cancer, which can expedite care, instead of going to other areas where they may have to wait for a few months before they can get an appointment.