Colonoscopy: Colon Cancer Prevention

The Rudd Clinic is a leader in the field of colon cancer prevention. We specialize in colonoscopy examinations and cancer screening programs. There is a big difference between early detection and prevention of colon cancer. This is because there is a:

• 15% 5-year cure rate when a colon cancer is found on colonscopy in a patient with complaints,
• 85% 5-year cure rate when a colon cancer is found on colonscopy in a patient without complaints, and
• 100% 5-year cure rate removing a benign polyp.

At The Rudd Clinic, we use the latest high tech video colonoscopy equipment for prevention of colon cancer — see the picture on the right. We take full advantage of the fact that all colon cancer comes from polyps (small wart-like growths on the lining of the inside of the colon), and we remove them on the spot during the colonoscopy examination, which is completed in our clinic under light sedation.

Almost all our patients say that taking the laxative is worse than the procedure. We feel colonoscopy is one of the most worthwhile services we provide at the Rudd Clinic, since we now rarely see colon cancer except in new patients, or those who do not adhere to our prevention follow-up program.

True Cancer Prevention

Colonoscopy is true cancer prevention. The value of prevention in colon cancer over other internal cancers, such as breast, prostate, lung, etc. is that in colon cancer there is a precursor (i.e. a polyp) which can be removed to prevent the colon cancer from starting. In the other forms of cancer, the malignancy is already established when a growth or tumor is discovered.

Most of our patients like to watch on a television monitor as their procedure is being carried out, and some prefer no sedation because the colon-shortening technique we use is much less painful. There is no aggravation or expense of going to the hospital — at the Rudd Clinic it is an in-clinic procedure. Please note that if sedation is applied, the patient must not operate a motor vehicle for at least 6 hours.

Colonoscopy is the gold standard. Capsule endoscopy is good for the small bowel. Virtual colonoscopy (CT scan) is only 39% accurate in some studies, and if something is found you will need to prepare all over again for a colonoscopy.

More Information

Please contact the Rudd Clinic at any time for more information about colonoscopy. Please use the phone numbers and addresses or contact form we have provided for this purpose.

If you're looking for the Colonoscopy Instructions, please visit the Web Page we have prepared for your convenience.