According to the American College of Gastroenterologists (ACG), adenoma detection rate (ADR) is “the measurement that best reflects how carefully colonoscopy is performed.“ Defined as the percentage of patients age 50 and older undergoing screening colonoscopy who have one or more precancerous polyps detected, ADR is calculated by dividing the number of procedures in which one or more adenomas is detected by the total number of procedures. An endoscopist’s  ADR should be at least 25% for men and 15% for women.

Topics: cancer, CRC, colorectal cancer, polyp, adenoma, colon cancer, probiotics, microbiome, ADR, colonoscopy, interval cancer, AMR, adenoma detection rate, adenoma miss rate

 

Topics: cancer, CRC, colorectal cancer, polyp, adenoma, colon cancer, colonoscopy

The human gut microbiome comprises all of the bacteria in in the human intestine, which amounts to over 100 billion bacteria. This outnumbers the cells in our bodies 10 to 1. Although probiotic products touting gut health are currently flooding the marketplace (ranging from dietary supplements to cake mixes), there is no consensus on what a healthy human microbiome looks like, and none of these products have been approved by the FDA to treat or prevent specific diseases. While most agree that it is essential to human health, facts about the microbiome and how it functions in the body are still under investigation.

Topics: cancer, CRC, colorectal cancer, polyp, adenoma, colon cancer, probiotics, microbiome

Beginning in 2004, the U.S. Surgeon General designated Thanksgiving National Family Health History Day. What does that mean for you? It’s pretty simple; as you gather with your relatives for the holiday, whether in person or virtually, take time talk about and document health problems that run in your family. (Note that although this blog post focuses on gathering information related to colorectal cancer [CRC], the guidelines apply to any health condition, from diabetes to breast cancer.)

Topics: colorectal cancer, CRC, colonoscopy, screening, adenoma, polyp

Why would you have a sedation-free colonoscopy, when the norm is sleeping through the procedure and having no recollection of it?

Topics: gastroenterologist, patient experience, hospital costs, colorectal cancer, CRC, endoscopist, endoscopy nursing, GI nursing, patient safety, Propofol for colonoscopy, Deep sedation, Propofol, polyp, adenoma, screening, patient, endocopy, nurse

 

Observational studies indicate that colonoscopy lowers colorectal cancer (CRC) rates and mortality in the general population. In support of these findings, a large-case control study showed that the procedure can significantly reduce the incidence of CRC and CRC-related mortality. However, colonoscopy may not be optimally effective for right-sided lesions. This might be due, in large part, to sessile serrated adenomas (SSAs).

Topics: colonoscopy, looping in colonoscopy, endoscopist, gastroenterologist, polyp, adenoma, screening, colon cancer, CRC, colorectal cancer, SSA, serrated sessile adenoma

If Colonoscopy Is the Gold Standard, Why Is Compliance So Low?

In 2018, 50,630 people in the United States will die of colorectal cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. It is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men and women in this country.

Topics: colonoscopy, abdominal pain colonoscopy, patient safety, healthcare costs, polyp, screening, colon cancer, bowel prep colonoscopy

 

Does FIT Measure up to Colonoscopy?

How do fecal immunochemical tests (FITs) stack up to colonoscopy, the gold standard for colon cancer screening? Admittedly, FIT might sound pretty good—no special diet, no colonoscopy prep, no hospital gown. But everything that shines is not gold.

Topics: endoscopy, patient, colonoscopy, colon cancer, FIT, screening, adenoma, polyp