Does A Colonoscopy Also Check Your Prostate

A Colonoscopy Is Painless

ENLARGED PROSTATE AT COLONOSCOPY

Yes, the tube goes exactly where you think it does. But you wont feel a thing.

Colonoscopies employ monitored anesthesia. Youll be given medicine through an IV that will keep you comfortable, virtually pain-free and unaware of the procedure.

A nurse anesthetist will administer the medicine and watch you intentlymonitoring your heart, breathing and blood pressurefor the duration of the procedure, so the doctors can focus on the colonoscopy.

The only soreness you might feel after would be associated with your IV site, but that typically doesnt hurt, Dr. Parekh says.

You might pass gas with some startling force for a couple of hours after the procedure. This is normal and not painful.

What Should I Know Or Tell My Doctor Before A Colonoscopy

Be sure to tell your doctor exactly what medicines you take on a daily basis. This includes prescription and over-the-counter products like supplements. Your doctor can tell you which medications to avoid and what changes might be necessary. It is possible that you might have to reschedule your medications if you have diabetes or need blood thinners.

You will need a driver. Most facilities will not let you check in or perform the exam at all if you do not bring a responsible driver with you.

To have a successful colonoscopy, you will have to do your part. This means following all the instructions about what to eat and drink in the days before the procedure. It also means making sure that your colon is empty so your doctor can see clearly when the scope is inside the colon. This involves what is known as bowel preparation.

Intestinal Inflammation And Ulceration

Several different medical conditions can cause inflammation of the colon. Inflammation is easily detected during a colonoscopy, but doctors may order additional testing specifically, a biopsy to pinpoint the cause.

“On a colonoscopy, looks red and granular,” says Dr. Ivanina. The colonoscope itself, however, can irritate the area even more, so colonoscopies must be performed very carefully in these kinds of situations.

Inflammation of the colon is often a sign of inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD. The two main types of IBD are ulcerative colitis, which involves chronic inflammation and ulcers aka sores in your colon and rectum, and Crohn’s disease, which can cause inflammation in the colon, small intestine and other parts of your digestive tract. Having IBD can increase your risk of colon cancer, according to the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation.

Intestinal inflammation can also be symptomatic of an ulcer, which can be caused by IBD, an infection, decreased blood flow to the colon or medications such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, says Dr. Ivanina.

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Effect Of Colonoscopy On Prostate

1Trauma Research Center, Imam Reza Hospital, AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran

2Department of Urology, Imam Reza Hospital, AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran

How to Cite:SirousbakhtS, RezakhanihaB. Effect of Colonoscopy on Prostate-Specific Antigen New Words about an Old Subject,Int J Cancer Manag.2018 11:e68919. doi: 10.5812/ijcm.68919.

ARTICLE INFORMATION

International Journal of Cancer Management:Article Type:

What Would You Say To Men Who Dont Want To Get A Prostate Check

A rectal exam is recommended but optional. We recommend both, but if theyll just let you do a blood test, thats better than not doing anything at all.

If concern about the rectal exam is the only reason youre not getting screened, talk to your doctor about it. We can discuss the risks and benefits. None of the evaluation tests are mandatory, but the reason we do that is that it improves our ability to detect cancer. So, if thats why youre not being evaluated, we can talk and decide if we can do other tests.

Can A Swollen Prostate If Untreated Cause Prostate Cancer

We have no evidence of that. Theyre completely unrelated problems. The area of the prostate that causes urinary symptoms is usually a different part of the prostate than where cancer is likeliest to develop.

Doctors divide the prostate into different zones. The zone that is associated with BPHand the majority of prostate growthis the transition zone. Prostate cancer occurs there much less often than in the peripheral zone, which is the outer area.

When Will I Know The Results Of The Colonoscopy

Usually, your doctor will speak with you after the procedure to explain what was done. The doctor will tell you if you did have polyps and if any tissue was removed. They will also go over when you are able to start taking your medications again if you had to stop taking something before the colonoscopy.

Also, usually you will get a formal report either mailed to you or sent to you and your primary care provider in your electronic medical record. Your healthcare team will let you know if any follow-up is needed based on the results of your colonoscopy.

What If My Test Results Are Abnormal

If the results of early detection tests like the PSA screening or the digital rectal exam suggest that you might have prostate cancer, your doctor will conduct further testing. The PSA may be repeated, or you may be sent to a specialist for more tests such as a transrectal ultrasound and a prostate biopsy.

In a prostate biopsy, a tissue sample is taken from your prostate. Cancer can only be diagnosed with a tissue sample.

Recent research has yielded additional tests that in addition to the PSA and subsequent DRE and Biopsy that can give a doctor more information on to determine the probability of both finding cancer during a biopsy and determining how aggressive that cancer is likely to be. Read more on those tests.

Whats The Best Treatment For Prostate Symptoms

How to Check Your Prostate

Treatments for prostate cancer include surgery to remove the prostate, radiation therapy, and ablation therapies, as well as active surveillance. Some treatments are better for some men and some prostates than others. There are side effects for each, so it really requires an informed discussion to help each man make an educated decision.

One thing we do at Yale is use an MRI of the prostate to evaluate the location of the prostate cancer for surgical planning. Ive found it to be quite helpful. Its not done everywhere.

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What Happens During A Dre

The DRE will take place in a private exam room at your doctor’s office. The test only takes a few minutes. You will need to take off any clothes below your waist. You will be given a gown to wear or a cloth to wrap around your body.

For men. The doctor will ask you to stand and bend forward at the waist or they will ask you to lie on your side on an exam table with knees pulled up to your chest. As they start the DRE, the doctor may ask you to relax and take a deep breath. Then they will gently insert a lubricated, gloved finger into your rectum. The doctor will feel the size of your prostate gland. They will also feel for bumps, soft or hard spots, or other abnormal areas. The doctor will also examine the wall of your lower colon and rectum.

For women. The doctor will usually ask you to lie on your back on an exam table. Your feet will be in raised stirrups. The doctor may ask you to relax and take a deep breath as they start the DRE. Then they will gently insert a lubricated, gloved finger into your rectum. The goal is to feel your reproductive organs and the bowel. The doctor may also feel for problems in your internal organs. They do this by pressing on your lower abdomen or pelvic area with their other hand.

A DRE usually does not hurt, but you may be uncomfortable. You may also feel the need to urinate. If a man’s prostate is enlarged, there may be some discomfort or mild pain during the exam.

What Do You Want Men To Know About Prostate Cancer

The important thing to know is that, if you live long enough, you will probably get prostate cancer. If you live into your 80s, about 80 percent of men have some sort of prostate cancer. That doesnt mean theyre going to die from prostate cancer because, as a percentage, very few men die from prostate cancer. It means its important to be aware of it and consider screening early, so if its a high-grade type, we can identify it and treat it.

Do All Men Who Are Treated For Prostate Cancer Lose Sexual And Urinary Function

Its definitely not true that all men are incontinent and impotent after treatment for prostate cancer. Urinary incontinence is usually temporary.

There can be a sexual impact for guys who have normal function. If the cancer is near their nerve bundle, theyre going to have a decrease in sexual function. If its not, and we can do bilateral nerve sparing surgery, studies show 70 percent can get back their normal sexual function. It all depends on where the cancer is. But the truth is that we cant predict very well who will be the 30 percent who will haveor still haveED some already do have ED because of age, diabetes, hypertension or renal failure.

Youre Not Necessarily Too Young For A Colonoscopy

Can The Prostate Be Checked During A Colonoscopy

Guidelines call for colorectal cancer screening starting at age 45 if youre at average risk. If youre at increased risk, based on family history of colon cancer or other factors, youll want to start earlier, typically at age 40. No matter your age, if you have blood in your stool, weakness and fatigue, or a major change in your bowel habits, talk to your doctor. Recent research from the American Cancer Society found a sharp rise in colorectal cancer rates among adults in their 20s and 30s in fact, a person born in 1990 has double the risk of colon cancer and four times the risk of rectal cancer compared with people born in 1950.

What Is A Digital Rectal Exam

The most common way for doctors to check on the health of your prostate is with a DRE. Its a fairly quick and simple procedure.

For the exam, youll bend at the waist while standing or lie on your side with your knees bent toward your chest.

Your doctor will lubricate a gloved finger and gently place it inside your rectum. Theyll press one hand on your prostate, and their other hand will feel your pelvic area. It should only take a few moments.

You may experience momentary discomfort. You may also feel the urge to urinate, especially if your prostate is enlarged or inflamed.

Your doctor will be able to tell you if your prostate seems to be a normal size and shape. In general, a DRE has no risks.

First What Is Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is cancer that occurs in the prostate â a small walnut-shaped gland in men. This is the gland that produces the seminal fluid that nourishes and transports sperm. Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men. Thankfully some prostate cancers are slow growing, without causing serious harm. However, others are aggressive, so for both scenarios, identifying the cancer earlier is key.

What Do You Say To Patients Diagnosed With Prostate Cancer

Something I say to my patients a lot is that, in treating prostate cancer, we end up trying to extend your quantity of life at the cost of your quality of life. And so, at some point, if the quantity is extended a lot, and we can minimize the effect on quality, that makes sense, but the equation is different for every man. How much decrease in quality of life are you willing to accept if were going to extend your life?

Realistically, a lot of guys who are 70 dont have any sexual function anyway, so thats not a huge loss for them. As men get older theres definitely an increased chance of having erectile dysfunction the guys who have sexual function over 70 are very keen on preserving it. Even for the guys who dont have good sexual function, who are on Viagra, for them its often even more important to preserve what sexual function they have.

Reasons To Get A Colonoscopy

What to Expect During Your Colonoscopy

Colon Cancer, Colon Health, Gastroenterology

Colon cancer is more serious and more common than you might think.

In fact, 5 to 6 percent of people will develop colon cancer in their lifetimes, according to Murtaza Kittu Parekh, MD, and Rig Patel, MD, of REX Digestive Healthcare. Its the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States after lung cancer, when counting cancers that affect both men and women.

But there is good news, Dr. Parekh says. Colonoscopy makes colorectal cancer one of the few cancers we can actually prevent.

A colonoscopy is an examination of the inside lining of the colon, which is where colon cancer starts. During a colonoscopy, a long, narrow, flexible tube with an HD camera at the end is used to evaluate the rectum and colon.

Colonoscopies can detect conditions like colitis, inflammatory bowel disease and diverticulosis. But mainly, doctors are looking for precancerous or cancerous colon polyps, which are growths on the inside of the colons lining. If the doctors spot polyps, they can quickly and painlessly remove them during the same colonoscopy.

Talk to your doctor about having a colonoscopy if you are any of the following:

Age 45 or older
Older than 40 with a family history of colon cancer or colon polyps
Youve noticed a change in your bowel movements or have bleeding or pain, regardless of your age

Theres no reason to avoid this painless, quick and potentially lifesaving procedure.

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What Are The Risks Of Colonoscopy

The risks of colonoscopy include

bleeding
a reaction to the sedative, including breathing or heart problems
severe pain in your abdomen
death, although this risk is rare

A study of screening colonoscopies found roughly 4 to 8 serious complications for every 10,000 procedures.3

Bleeding and perforation are the most common complications from colonoscopy. Most cases of bleeding occur in patients who have polyps removed. The doctor can treat bleeding that happens during the colonoscopy right away.

You may have delayed bleeding up to 2 weeks after the procedure. The doctor can diagnose and treat delayed bleeding with a repeat colonoscopy. The doctor may need to treat perforation with surgery.

How Do I Screen For Prostate Cancer

There are two main early stage screening methods a digital rectal exam , and a blood test measuring PSA levels. PSA screening is regarded as the best method to screen for prostate cancer in men over 40 or those of a certain risk factor.

While men might be intimidated by a DRE, itâs a quick and safe screening technique used by a physician, and should cause no significant pain.

A Digital Rectal Exam is a simple, painless and quick procedure. A physician inserts a gloved and lubricated finger into the rectum and feels the prostate to identify if the prostate is enlarged, has lumps or is an abnormal texture compared to a healthy example.

Although this procedure is a very clear indicator of prostate health, the entire prostate canât be examined during a DRE. This is why physicians will also take into account PSA blood work, health history, and other risk factors. Overall, itâs often difficult to detect prostate cancer early, itâs mostly found through PSA testing – so PSA screenings should be done regularly, starting at the age of 40-50.

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Is Going To The Bathroom Frequently A Sign Of Prostate Cancer

Thats one of the challenging things having urinary symptoms is very rarelyalmost nevera sign of prostate cancer. Having urinary symptoms means you should probably be evaluated for an enlarged prostate, also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia . We can treat your urinary symptoms and help you pee better.

If urinary symptoms bring men to the doctor, we can discuss screening for prostate cancer. Thats important because not all men will go to a doctor until theres something wrong with them. And prostate cancer screening really is the only way to detect prostate cancer, because its almost always asymptomatic.

Diagnostic Accuracy Of Dre

There were 3225 participants included from 4 different studies. For each of the included studies we were able to calculate a 2×2 table for reference test results versus the diagnostic test . This data was then combined to give an overall sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV. This was calculated using Meta-Disc software. Overall, the pooled sensitivity and specificity for DRE as a predictor of prostate cancer in symptomatic patients was found to be 28.6% and 90.7% , respectively. These results are shown in Fig. . The pooled PPV and NPV were found to be 42.3 and 84.2%, respectively. There was no relevant data extractable regarding secondary outcomes of adverse events or cost effectiveness.

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Having A Colonoscopy Is Not As Embarrassing As You Think

The procedure is typically done at an endoscopy center, and all the patients are there for gastrointestinal care. In other words, everyone is in the same boat.

Yes, everyone is there to have something done that may feel embarrassing. But you can relaxthis is regular, everyday work for the clinical staff that will be taking care of you. So dont worry.

Also, the anesthesia will help you relax, it will be over before you know it, and did we mention it is a virtually painless procedure?