Bottoms Up

"Doctor, can you write a note for my wife telling her you did not see my head in there"

Got the results of my colonoscopy today, all negative.  A reminder to all that colon cancer is pretty common and fairly easy to treat if caught early.  If you are over 50 and haven't had one, go.  The prep is the worst part, but it is not as bad as some would have you believe.  For the actual procedure you are given a drug that puts you to sleep and gives you a short term amnesia.  You won't remember anything and if you happen to be one of my drug causality friends from the 60s or 70s you will enjoy the trip.

If you are one of the few that absolutely are not going to get a colonoscopy, there is blood test that will be of some benefit.  Methylated Septin 9 (ColoVantage) is 70% sensitive for colorectal cancer detection at a specificity of 89%.  Your physician may not know of this test as it is new, so be sure to tell him or her the name.  You should really get the colonoscopy, but this test is much better than nothing.

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