Is there any other way of indicating colon cancer besides the colonoscopy or sigmoidscopy or whatever?
The way those things sound they sound scary the way its done...I am 19 years oldI wanted one done because i saw blood in my stool. My doctor wouldn't allow me to have one and said i was way too young and that the blood is 99% chance from a benign source. I didn't buy this.. I went to other doctors but they keep saying the same thing and paying little attention... and then theres most of the Other doctors in my area that refuse to take me as a patient because I am under 21 years of age.. Am I being discriminated against??? Now if God forbid i have a serious illness like colon cancer, it would be because I was overlooked for it because i was " YOUNG", just like my friend who is now sufferening from colon cancer and he is about 30 years old though but still too young, and the doctors kept overlooking him......I am so scared, I fear this so much and i cant even get tested for this... Sigh I hiope i can get some advice.
Cancer - 6 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
Call a gastroenterologist. That is what they deal with. The colonoscopy is easy. The day before isn't fun but the alternative is worse. The docs are probably right. It's probably nothing, but if you are worried call the right doctor and get your answers.
2 :
If you are under 21 years old you should be seen by a pediatrician who deals specifically with teens and young adults. The medical needs of a young adult can be different than that of a child or an older adult. You should be examined by an adolescent specialist. Young adults with cancer are often better treated by pediatric oncologists because they are more familiar with cancers that affect the young as opposed to cancer that affects an older person. That is what may be happening to you. A doctor, even a family doctor, will look at you and see someone who looks healthy. There really is no comparison between a young person who has cancer and an older person. You can locate a doctor who specializes in adolescent medicine from the following site: The Society for Adolescent Medicine http://www.adolescenthealth.org/ Good luck.
3 :
Colonscopies and sigmoidscopies can take samples for a biopsy. Only the biopsy can give a definitive diagnosis for colon cancer. Another way to get a biopsy sample is much more extreme: exploratory surgery. There are other ways to get an indicator of colon cancer but, not a definitive diagnosis. These include: 1) General symptoms - overt blood in the stool, gastrointestinal pain, constipation, dirrahea, etc. 2) Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT) Checks stool for blood. Believed to detect about 5% of colon cancers. 3) CAT scan/MRI/virtrual colonoscopy - these imaging tests are very expensive and require a follow-up colonoscopy if something is suspicous for colon cancer
4 :
You won't like my advice. Your Drs are right that the chances of you having colon cancer are extremely, extremely small. I can see the Drs not wanting to give you a colonoscopy but a sigmoidoscopy should not be hard to arrange if you are insured. What color is the blood and how much and how often is it being found? Red blood means hemorrhoids. Black blood possibly something else. The blood is likely caused by hemorrhoids or possibly a fissure but colon cancer is way down on the list of possibilities unless you have a strong family history of colon cancer that was found at very young ages among your family. Your friend who has colon cancer at age 30 is still extremely young to have colon cancer and my guess is that you are freaked out about what you have seen him go through. You've been to multiple Drs. I'd trust their training and opinions, unless you have additional symptoms that you have not mentioned. After you have been checked for hemorrhoids and if none are found, you might be able to get someone to do a sigmoidoscopy. good luck to you and your friend
5 :
i dont know but you can help find a cure ...............http://boinc.bakerlab.org/rosetta/
6 :
The normal pretest for colon cancer is the FOB test (feacal ocult blood) ie traces of blood in your stool. If you have this already and there is no obvious cause such as an anal fissure and the problem persists you should be checked out. A C-scope is a bit yuky but its no big deal and its relatively cheap and safe (compared to CAT scans and barium xray series). Speak to your parents and get to see a specialist and have it done. You will eiather feel a lot better knowing there is nothing or luck in having it cought early enough to sort.
Read more discussions :
