Screening for colorectal cancer. Guidelines for choosing the appropriate test for each patient.
The importance of screening for colorectal cancer has been established, but the decision about which test to use for each patient may seem less clear. In this article, Dr Wineman discusses assessment of colorectal cancer risk and the advantages and disadvantages of the fecal occult blood test, flexible sigmoidoscopy, double-contrast barium enema, and colonoscopy. Potential screening methods that could make regular colon examination more acceptable to patients also are presented.
Wineman
Arthur P
AP
Department of Family Practice and Community Health, University of Minnesota Medical School-Minneapolis, USA. arthur.p.wineman@healthpartners.com
D000465:Algorithms; D001466:Barium Sulfate; D003113:Colonoscopy / Q000379:methods; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004733:Enema; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D009780:Occult Blood; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D012812:Sigmoidoscopy / Q000379:methods; D014481:United States
D001466:Barium Sulfate