Colon Cancer Screening in Northwest Arkansas

You should consult with your GI specialist at GI Alliance of Arkansas about which tests you should have and when. One or more of the following tests may be used for a colorectal cancer screening:

• Flexible sigmoidoscopy: A sigmoidoscopy is used to look at the inner rectum and lower colon. A finger-sized tube with a camera attached (sigmoidoscope) will enter the rectum so we can take images of the inner wall as well as a portion of your colon. This might also be used so we can take a biopsy of the tumor or polyp and terminate some polyps. However, a colonoscopy will need to be done to get a look at the entire colon and remove all polyps or tumors. It is generally pretty safe, but there is a slight risk of a bowel tear, bleeding, and infection.
• Colonoscopy: A colonoscope is somewhat like a sigmoidoscope, except it is longer and is used to view the inside of the entire colon. It is snaked through your rectum so that the GI specialist can see the entire colon on the monitor. GI tools will be introduced into the colonoscope to complete the biopsy and extract polyps. Sedation is required for this procedure. There is a small chance of tearing in the bowel, bleeding, and/or infection after the procedure.
• Virtual colonoscopy: Virtual colonoscopy is a computed tomography scan of the colon. You will be asked to lie on our treatment table, where our CT scanner will take cross-section images of your colon. This is a noninvasive treatment and doesn't call for you to be sedated. If any abnormalities are detected, a colonoscopy will need to be performed to extract the polyps or tumors.
• Double-contrast barium enema: A small tube is inserted into your rectum and barium sulfate, a chalky white liquid, and air are pumped into your colon. The barium suspension will line the outer walls of the colon. X-ray images of your colon are then taken to identify abnormalities on the inner wall of the colon. If abnormalities are found, a colonoscopy will need to be done to extract the tumors or polyps.
• Fecal test: Fecal tests are performed with a fecal sample and are totally safe. Fecal tests might not give confirmatory results but may suggest abnormalities in the gastrointestinal tract, necessitating further testing. A colonoscopy needs to be performed if positive results are shown, indicating the presence of cancerous growths in the colon. Our Arkansas gastroenterologists conduct three different types of fecal tests:
  • Stool DNA tests look for specific abnormal DNA genes in the cells discarded from cancerous outgrowth or polyps in the stool sample.
  • Fecal occult blood tests detect blood in your feces that isn't visible to the eye through a chemical reaction.
  • Fecal immunochemical tests that detect blood through a specific immunochemical reaction of protein in your blood and are often able to find hidden blood.