Tequila, the fact that younger people are having a higher fatality rate tells us that they are not coming across colon cancer until late stages. It's terribly sad, because as you probably know, colon cancer is one of the most easy cancers to treat when found early.

Problem is, no one gets screened, no one wants to line up for a colonoscopy, and the cheapie $20 FIT test that cost conscious places like Kaiser use on an annual basis during your physical is not a very good test (it only detects blood in stool) and no one complies with annual testing. - - - Never mind that by the time you are found to be "bleeding" you are most likely already in Stage 3a.

I've used Cologuard 3 times now and swear by it.

Moreover, if you test positive its a great head's up to the GI doc that performs your colonoscopy.
Studies at Mayo indicated that scope time goes on average from 13 minutes to 19 minutes when a Gastro Doc is aware of a positive Cologuard result.

In my area they have adopted the practice of waking the patient up before the Colonoscopy is completed so you get to truly experience the 'feeling' of the colonoscopy (aka, medical confirmation that I am straight, not gay ). Another reason to go Cologuard.

oski003 said:

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Cologuard is POOR at finding precancerous polyps. I advocate for Colonoscopies, at least for this educated forum. I had mine done at 45. Your INVESTMENT in Cologuard is best promoted only for those unwilling to get Colonoscopies.

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Funny.

Here, let me help educate you as opposed to the typical Ai post that have been known to reply with.

For starters, the Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) that places like Kaiser hand out only has advanced adenoma sensitivity of 23%. Cologuard Plus is 45%

The FIT test is only 56% sensitive in Stage 1. Overall, it only has a sensitivity of 71%. Cologuard crushes the cheapie FIT test that so many health systems offer. Cologuard Plus has shown 100% sensitivity in recent studies in detecting Stage 1 cancer.

a.) Colonoscopy was never meant to be a mass population screening test.

b.) There is a back log on colonoscopies ever since Covid. The lead time to get a colonoscopy is poor.

c.) Interval cancer occurs with colonoscopy given the 10 year interval of screening.

d.) The US Preventative Services Task Force that creates screening guidelines for Primary Care Physicians and colon cancer based on CISNET quant-modeling says that:



Accuracy, Sensitivity, and Specificity | Cologuard Plus and Cologuard Tests

oski003 said:

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Major health organizations such as the USPSTF, which you reference above, and the American Cancer Society recommend that adults begin regular screening at the age of 45. 40 if high risk. Thanks.

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In 2018, the ACS reduced the age to start screening for colorectal cancer from age 50 to 45 for people with AVERAGE RISK.


Colorectal Cancer Screening Rates in Younger Adults | American Cancer Society

New Modeling Data Show the Cologuard Test Has Detected More Than 623,000 Cancers and Precancers Over Past Decade, Saving U.S. Health Care System $22 Billion

Evaluating benefit-to-burden ratios of the established and emerging colorectal cancer screening strategies | JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute | Oxford Academic

Just the FACTS.

Colonoscopy is NOT the "gold standard" and frequently misses sessile serrated lesions (SSL)
Cologuard detects these.

Don't be gullible and fooled.
Thanks.










Most large colorectal polyps missed by gastroenterology fellows at colonoscopy are sessile serrated lesions - PMC

oski003 said:

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DiabloWags said:

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oski003 said:

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Cologuard is POOR at finding precancerous polyps. I advocate for Colonoscopies, at least for this educated forum. I had mine done at 45. Your INVESTMENT in Cologuard is best promoted only for those unwilling to get Colonoscopies.

---

Funny.

Here, let me help educate you as opposed to the typical Ai post that have been known to reply with.

For starters, the Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) that places like Kaiser hand out only has advanced adenoma sensitivity of 23%. Cologuard Plus is 45%

The FIT test is only 56% sensitive in Stage 1. Overall, it only has a sensitivity of 71%. Cologuard crushes the cheapie FIT test that so many health systems offer. Cologuard Plus has shown 100% sensitivity in recent studies in detecting Stage 1 cancer.

a.) Colonoscopy was never meant to be a mass population screening test.

b.) There is a back log on colonoscopies ever since Covid. The lead time to get a colonoscopy is poor.

c.) Interval cancer occurs with colonoscopy given the 10 year interval of screening.

d.) The US Preventative Services Task Force that creates screening guidelines for Primary Care Physicians and colon cancer says that:

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Major health organizations such as the USPSTF, which you reference above, and the American Cancer Society recommend that adults begin regular screening at the age of 45. 40 if high risk. Thanks.

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What makes one high risk? Family history?

Colorectal Cancer Risk Factors | Hereditary Colorectal Risk Factors | American Cancer Society

DiabloWags said:

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Colorectal Cancer Risk Factors | Hereditary Colorectal Risk Factors | American Cancer Society

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Thank you

DiabloWags said:

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Just the FACTS.

Colonoscopy is NOT the "gold standard" and frequently misses sessile serrated lesions (SSL)
Cologuard detects these.

Don't be gullible and fooled.
Thanks.










Most large colorectal polyps missed by gastroenterology fellows at colonoscopy are sessile serrated lesions - PMC

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A colonoscopy is the gold standard for cancer screening. Yes, colonoscopies are even more effective after a positive stool sample. There is a market for Cologuard but it is NOT a substitute for colonoscopies. I'd personally rather prevent cancer by detecting precancerous polyps before they advance to or near cancer. It is the right move.

DiabloWags said:

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Just the FACTS.

Colonoscopy is NOT the "gold standard" and frequently misses sessile serrated lesions (SSL)
Cologuard detects these.

Don't be gullible and fooled.
Thanks.










Most large colorectal polyps missed by gastroenterology fellows at colonoscopy are sessile serrated lesions - PMC

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Cologuard only detects LATE STAGE ADVANCED precancerous polyps and actual CANCER. Colonoscopies detect early stage precancerous polyps.

The article that I posted as the OP focused on the FACT that Colon Cancer is now the #1 cancer killer of Americans under 50.



The fact that there are so many younger Americans now DYING of this type of cancer tells you that people are not getting screened.

And clearly, colonoscopy has not been an effective screening solution for the mass population. If it was, we would not be seeing so many Americans dying every year from colon cancer, let along younger Americans.

Moreover, basic math tells you that there is not enough capacity of Gi docs to perform the necessary number of colonoscopies to comply with screening recommendations.

Obviously, many Americans aren't getting a colonoscopy. A number of Americans can't take the time off of work, take the time to travel to a health care center if in rural America, incur those expenses, etc. And of course, some people just don't want to undergo an INVASIVE PROCEDURE that is not without risk.

The BEST screening test is the one that gets used.
Period.





U.S. Cancer Statistics Colorectal Cancer Stat Bite | U.S. Cancer Statistics | CDC

oski003 said:

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. Colonoscopies detect early stage precancerous polyps.

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Colonoscopies MISS sessile serrated lesions (SSL) by a wide margin.
SSL's are precancerous polyps.

It is NOT the gold standard.

Thanks.




Most large colorectal polyps missed by gastroenterology fellows at colonoscopy are sessile serrated lesions - PMC

DiabloWags said:

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oski003 said:

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. Colonoscopies detect early stage precancerous polyps.

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Colonoscopies MISS sessile serrated lesions (SSL) by a wide margin.
It is NOT the gold standard.

Thanks.

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Cologuard also fails to detect all SSL's but has a high rate on the large ones. Colonoscopies do as well. Perhaps, they are near even in this less common category. Colonoscopies detect everything else better. Yes, as stated above, I agree that folks unwilling to use the gold standard colonoscopy should use Cologuard, as it is much better than other fecal tests.

I've used Cologuard 4x since it was first FDA approved and have enjoyed its performance and convenience.
Takes no more than 10 minutes to complete the test in the privacy of your own home.

The creator of this test was Dr. David Ahlquist of the Mayo Clinic, who many years ago believed that you could detect methylated DNA in stool. Even more mind-boggling at the time (2009) was Dr. Ahlquists claim that we would eventually be able to detect cancer via a simple blood draw.

It is also noteworthy that the additional tests performed that are found to be negative will increase the confidence interval of you being free of CRC.

https://www.exactsciences.com/newsroom/press-releases/xact-sciences-mourns-the-death-of-dr-david-ahlquist-a-pioneer-in-early-cancer-detection

DiabloWags said:

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I've used Cologuard 4x since it was first FDA approved and have enjoyed its performance and convenience.

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I think there might be some people that enjoy a good colonoscopy.
Maybe some of those Hollywood types?

But not me.
The bowel cleansing for hours alone is disgusting.

tequila4kapp said:

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Imagine they wake you up while Picture 1 is still in effect...

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lol

Believe it or not, you can have minimal sedation and are actually AWAKE during the procedure.

Often called conscious sedation or "twilight sleep". The patient is drowsy and comfortable, but can still respond to verbal commands or gentle tactile stimulation.

If you want to really be put "under", they use the drug PROPOFOL.
It is what Michael Jackson was using when he died.

DiabloWags said:

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tequila4kapp said:

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Imagine they wake you up while Picture 1 is still in effect...

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lol

Believe it or not, you can have minimal sedation and are actually AWAKE during the procedure.

Often called conscious sedation or "twilight sleep". The patient is drowsy and comfortable, but can still respond to verbal commands or gentle tactile stimulation.

If you want to really be put "under", they use the drug PROPOFOL.
It is what Michael Jackson was using when he died.

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Cologuard's brochures certainly are impressive. I need to get my hands on some for bathroom reading.

oski003 said:

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Cologuard's brochures certainly are impressive. I need to get my hands on some for bathroom reading.

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Cologuard saves lives.
It's sad that you don't seem to understand that and keep trolling me about it.

oski003 said:

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DiabloWags said:

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oski003 said:

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Cologuard's brochures certainly are impressive. I need to get my hands on some for bathroom reading.

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Cologuard saves lives.
It's sad that you don't seem to understand that and keep trolling me about it.

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You can tout your life saving stock without unnecessarily bashing colonoscopies. Thanks.

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As many in the medical profession know, Colonoscopy is not the Gold Standard.
As I pointed out earlier in this thread, colonoscopy misses sessile serrated lesions . . . especially in the PROXIMAL (end) portion of the colon.

In fact, if someone thinks that cancer won't appear during a 10-year colonoscopy interval, they are sadly mistaken.
For some reason, you conveniently ignore this salient fact.

53,000 Americans die every year because of CRC, with or without colonoscopy.

I simply created this thread to provide AWARENESS and speak about screening options.

oski003 said:

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DiabloWags said:

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oski003 said:

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Cologuard's brochures certainly are impressive. I need to get my hands on some for bathroom reading.

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Cologuard saves lives.
It's sad that you don't seem to understand that and keep trolling me about it.

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You can tout your life saving stock without unnecessarily bashing colonoscopies. Thanks.

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The makers of Cologuard (Exact Sciences) was bought out by Abbott Labs back in November for $23 Billion.
There's no reason to "tout" it.

The price appreciation already happened months ago.

Thanks.