Acıbadem Ataşehir Hospital Gastroenterology Specialist Prof. Dr. Selçuk Dişibeyaz talked about 5 wrongs that are thought to be true in society about colon polyps, and made important warnings and suggestions.
“It is unnecessary for me to have a colonoscopy when I have no complaints”
Stating that you may need to have a colonoscopy without any complaints, Prof. Dr. Selçuk Dişibeyaz said, “Because colon polyps, which can be a leading indicator of colon cancer, can be found in our intestines without any symptoms. They also show no signs in the abdominal examination performed by your doctor. For this reason, the large intestines should be examined by endoscopic methods with a light camera, even if there is no complaint in high-risk individuals at younger ages and over 50 years of age. This method, called colonoscopy, should be performed regularly at intervals recommended by your physician.
“I eat healthy, I exercise. I don't have a colon polyp"
prof. Dr. Selçuk Dişibeyaz stated that a healthy lifestyle contributes positively to reducing the risk of colon polyps, but there are many risk factors in the formation of colon polyps, and says:
“Especially being 50 years old and over, male gender, being overweight, smoking and drinking alcohol, having a family history of colon polyps or colon cancer increase the risk of colon polyps. In other words, a 50-year-old person has a higher risk of having colon polyps than a 40-year-old person; Overweight individuals also encounter more colon polyps than lean individuals. This rate is slightly higher in men. Consuming fibrous foods, greens, legumes and fruits, Mediterranean diet, and reducing red meat consumption can reduce the risk of colon polyp formation, but it certainly does not eliminate it.
“Colonoscopy can damage my gut”
Emphasizing that colonoscopy is a safe test, Prof. Dr. Selçuk Dişibeyaz, “Colonoscopy has been used in medicine starting from 1806 until today by improving its technique, quality and capacity. Of course, every interventional procedure may have risks that vary according to the age of the patient and existing comorbidities. However, this remains at very low rates today. Risks such as the frequently asked 'intestinal perforation' are actually reported as one in ten thousand. Moreover, thanks to the developing medical technology, it is possible to successfully treat conditions such as bleeding and perforation, although rare, during colonoscopy.
"It's okay if I have another test instead of a colonoscopy"
Stating that colonoscopy is the most important examination method in the evaluation of the intestine, Prof. Dr. Selcuk Disbeyaz says:
“Today, there is no equivalent alternative to colonoscopy in evaluating the internal structure of the intestine. Advanced methods such as capsule endoscopy or advanced radiological examinations (such as Computed Tomography) can of course be used in the evaluation of the large intestine; however, these are indirect methods that only provide diagnosis and are less troublesome, which is controversial. Moreover, even if these methods are performed, colonoscopy may be required for definitive diagnosis, biopsy or treatment.
“I had a colonoscopy once, I don't need to have it done again”
Stating that intestinal polyps can recur, each polyp has a unique substructure and its character and behavior change according to its location, number and type, Prof. Dr. Selçuk Dişibeyaz said, “Therefore, according to the results of the colonoscopy, colonoscopy should be performed regularly at certain time intervals to be determined by the physician, and these polyps should be removed when they are seen. Inflammatory diseases and vascular diseases of the intestine also require endoscopic follow-up at regular intervals. Having multiple colonoscopies is not a threat to health, on the contrary, it is protective, preventive and curative against bowel cancer.
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