Sigmoidoscopy News and Research

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Sigmoidoscopy is the examination of the lower colon using a sigmoidoscope, inserted into the rectum. A sigmoidoscope is a thin, tube-like instrument with a light and a lens for viewing. It may also have a tool to remove tissue to be checked under a microscope for signs of disease. Also called proctosigmoidoscopy.

Default options for medicine, healthcare

Anyone who has ever tried to set up an internet account or wants to make a purchase on a company's website, has experienced the ‘default option,' an event or condition that will be set in place if no alternative is actively chosen.

3 Oct 2007

When it comes to preventing cancer, women believe they're doing more than they actually are

Perhaps most surprising, women are more afraid of getting Alzheimer's disease than cancer, even though cancer causes nearly ten times more deaths per year.

3 Oct 2007

Simple, personalized interventions improve colorectal cancer screening rates

Different types of personalized interventions can improve colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates in primary care practices, according to a new study.

25 Sep 2007

Personalized interventions key to improving colon cancer screening rates

One of the best ways to encourage an individual to get screened for colorectal cancer is to use a personalized approach, according to researchers at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia.

25 Sep 2007

Standards for CT colonography

Recognizing that CT colonography will play a role in screening for colorectal cancer (CRC), and the critical need to increase overall CRC screening rates, the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute issued minimum standards for gastroenterologist performance of the test.

10 Sep 2007

State snapshots highlights gains and lags in health care quality

AHRQ's State Snapshots Web tool was launched in 2005. It is an application that helps state health leaders, researchers, consumers, and others understand the status of health care quality in individual states, including each state's strengths and weaknesses.

14 Jun 2007

No data to support leaving small polyps in place

The American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute is eager to increase the number of patients who receive screening for colon cancer.

27 Apr 2007

Virtual Colonoscopy ...safer and cheaper

New technology called "virtual colonoscopy" is promising to offer fewer complications and be more cost-effective than the traditional colonoscopy.

24 Apr 2007

Virtual colonoscopy most cost-effective colon cancer screening test

A new study says targeting smaller (5 mm) lesions does little to significantly reduce the incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) and, in fact, results in extremely high financial costs and a large proportion of adverse events.

24 Apr 2007

Regular health exams increase likelihood that older adults will get recommended cancer screenings

If you're 50 or older, seeing your doctor every year or two for a checkup may be a good defense against cancer, according to a new study by researchers at UC Davis, the University of Washington, and Group Health Cooperative in Seattle.

2 Apr 2007

Screening key to early detection of colorectal cancers

Studies show that only half of the people who are at risk of colon and rectal cancers are getting screened regularly.

21 Mar 2007

Medium-sized polyps yield significant number of advanced adenomas and cancer

According to a University of Pittsburgh-led study published in the December issue of Gastroenterology, medium-sized polyps found in the colon with flexible sigmoidoscopy and subsequently evaluated by full colonoscopy are associated with a significant number of advanced adenomas (high-risk polyps) and cancers.

2 Dec 2006

Most Americans do not know when to get cancer screening tests

While most Americans know that mammograms, pap smears, and colonoscopies are screening exams for cancer, the majority of Americans do not know the appropriate age at which initiation of these tests is recommended.

3 Aug 2006

Promoting culturally appropriate colorectal cancer screening through a health educator

Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates can be significantly improved using a dedicated health educator empowered with culturally appropriate educational tools, according to a new study.

24 Jul 2006

Alcohol use, tobacco use and male gender associated with an earlier onset of colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths, according to background information in the article. Screening asymptomatic patients is an important strategy for reducing these deaths, because by the time patients experience symptoms, the cancer may have progressed beyond the point where it can be cured.

11 Apr 2006

Inflammation cuts both ways

Inflammation cuts both ways. When invaded by an infectious agent, for example, the body calls on the forces of inflammation to fight and defeat the intruder.

6 Apr 2006

Earlier onset of colorectal cancer associated with alcohol use, tobacco use and male gender

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States yet it is one of the most preventable forms of the disease.

28 Mar 2006

Doctors fail to recommend colon cancer tests for low-income patients

Fewer than nine out of 10 low-income, medically underserved minority patients at risk for colorectal cancer receive a recommendation for colorectal cancer screening by physicians at government-supported community health centers

24 Feb 2006

Colorectal cancer screening rates remain low

Investigators failed to see improvement in colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates among patients enrolled in a managed care health plan after testing the effectiveness of a CRC screening promotion program targeting the physician organizations (POs).

10 Oct 2005

Colorectal cancer screening rates are too low

An intervention program designed to promote screening for colorectal cancer – and thereby decrease the number of cancers diagnosed - failed to increase screening rates in the managed care setting, a University of California - Los Angeles study has found.

10 Oct 2005