"Patient acceptance is another key factor in evaluating the promise of a new technology. The fact that patients undergoing optical colonoscopy are sedated and do not experience pain in association with the procedure and they will be able to have an examination and any necessary therapeutic intervention in a single visit will be important in evaluating which test is best for a particular patient," added Dr. Johnson.
It is important for patients to understand that no guideline group, including the American Cancer Society or the Multi-Society Task Force on Colorectal Cancer has yet endorsed CT colonography as appropriate for colorectal cancer screening.
According to the American College of Gastroenterology, colonoscopy remains the best test and the current gold standard for colorectal cancer screening and prevention. Three studies have shown that colonoscopy prevents about 80 percent of colorectal cancers from developing by removing pre-cancerous polyps. "The public should recognize that there is no evidence that any radiographic test, including CT colonography prevents the development of colorectal cancer," said Dr. David Johnson.
"There is a tremendous body of evidence that shows that clearing the
colon of polyps, including small polyps, significantly reduces colorectal
cancer mortality. Because of its excellent sensitivity in detecting polyps
and its potential for removing them and breaking the sequence of polyp to
cancer in a single diagnostic and therapeutic intervention, colonoscopy is
one of the most powerful preventive tools in clinical medicine. Until a
radiographic test can meet that standard, gas
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| SOURCE American College of Gastroenterology Copyright©2007 PR Newswire. All rights reserved |