Colonoscopy / Preventive colonoscopy   >> back to the newsletter overview

What does „preventive“ actually mean?

To be precise, „preventive” means „in good time”; identifying issues early enough, removing their causes early enough before any lethal disease enters a final stage and cannot be treated anymore.

This refers to colon cancer, the colorectal carcinoma. There are 60,000 new cases each year in Germany alone! This is a frightening figure and these cases could be avoided if only these patients (or most of them) got a preventive check.

Malignant tumors in other organs develop spontaneously and immediately are malignant. Most colorectal carcinomas, on the opposite, develop from a benign growth, a polyp. These polyps (either pedunculated, like a cherry with a stalk, or sessile, like a button sewed onto the tissue) keep growing over years without causing any symptoms. Sometimes undetected light bleedings can occur (which is why stool is tested for blood). At some point, however, part of the polyp cells are converted into carcinoma cells and the situation will change quickly from then; the malignant cells are reproduced, penetrate the colon wall, link up with blood and lymph vessels and can spread into and destroy other organs (the liver, in particular).

This spreading is called metastasis. At this stage, there is no possibility to cure the patient anymore, neither by chemotherapy or surgery, nor by any other modern procedure.

What can colonoscopy do?

When well prepared and done by an experienced physician, colonoscopy can examine all parts of the colon up to the junction to the small intestine in very detail. The smallest polyps of only a few millimeters in size can be detected and usually removed during the same examination – just like larger ones, too – giving the preventive screening particular importance.

​

Roughly 20-30% of the initially benign growths would later become malignant carcinomas (i.e. not every polyp turns into a carcinoma, but almost every carcinoma used to be a polyp).

Who should be screened?

Statutory insurance patients are advised to get a preventive colonoscopy from the age of 55. The German Association of Gastroenterology, Digestive tract and Metabolism Diseases (DGVS), though, has good reasons to recommend getting an examination already from the age of 50.

If a colon tumor occurred within the family, the examination must be done earlier. This also applies, of course, if other symptoms are found, such as blood in the stool; also, in cases of unclarified abdominal pains or unclarified loss of weight or energy.

How is a colonoscopy done?

You will be briefed with all necessary information about the preparatory emptying of the bowels and the screening procedures beforehand.

The emptying of the bowels should start no later than 8 hours before the examination. Only if correctly prepared, a thorough examination is possible. An anesthesia specialist will take care of you during the procedure which takes about 20 to 45 minutes. Afterwards, you will stay for about 1 hour in the recovery room. You will need company to take you home as you won’t be allowed to drive due to the sedation. Even if using public transport, it is advisable to have someone to accompany you home.

You will immediately get a findings report with images documenting your case. If tissue samples are sent to a pathology laboratory, you will receive a second report a week later stating all further procedures. The physician referring you to us or your family doctor will get a copy of the results, respectively.

What can we do for you?

The examination is done at our gastroenterology/endoscopy department at Praxisklinik für Diagnostik (PKD am Städel) by our specialists with outstanding expertise.

Appointments for briefings and examinations can directly be made by contacting us.

>> back to the newsletter overview