Gastroenterology Digestive Diseases
Frequently Asked Questions
Who should be screened? - All men and women over age 50
- Any man or woman with one or more of these symptoms:
- Changes in bowel habits such as diarrhea, constipation, or change in stool size
- Rectal bleeding
- Blood in the stool
- Black tarry stools
- Chronic abdominal pain
- Unexplained anemia
- Unexplained weight loss
Who is at risk for colorectal cancer?
There is no known cause of colorectal cancer. However, there are risk factors associated with an increased risk of getting the disease:
- Age greater than 50
- Personal history of colorectal cancer
- Personal history of colon polyps
- Personal history of bowel disease such as ulcerative colitis
- Family history of colorectal cancer especially in a relative prior to age 60
- High fat diet
- Alcohol consumption
- Smoking
- Lack of exercise
- Obesity
- Ethnicity- persons of Eastern Jewish descent
- Familial polyposis syndromey.
Will my insurance pay for screening?
If you have third party coverage such as BCBS, Medcost, Cigna, etc. you should contact your insurance provider directly to inquire about your specific coverage.
