UNTHSC physician offers tips to avoid colon cancer
March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and that makes it a good time to consider whether you should get a colon-cancer screening. While colon cancer is the second most lethal cancer in the U.S., improved screenings have helped lower colon cancer rates and save lives, said Monte Troutman, DO, Associate Professor of Internal Medicine at UNT Health Science Center.
The colonoscopy, which looks for precancerous lesions called colon polyps, is considered the gold standard for colorectal cancer screening, he said. It is believed that most instances of colon cancer arise from colon polyps.
Age and risk factors can determine when a patient should undergo a colonoscopy. Patients should consult with their primary care physicians when deciding whether to get screened.
For more information or to schedule a screening, contact the UNT Health Science Center at 817-735-2660 and press “6” to reach gastroenterology.
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