Colorectal Cancer Screenings
Protect your health with colorectal cancer screenings at VHC Health in Arlington and the DC metro. Our tests can find cancer before you have symptoms. When doctors catch colorectal cancer early, more than 80% of people survive.
Screening Types
VHC Health gives you access to two kinds of screenings:
- Colonoscopy
- CT colonography (also called a virtual colonoscopy)
Both screenings look for polyps (small growths) and other signs of colorectal cancer. Your doctor may suggest a CT colonography if you have risk factors or can't safely have a regular colonoscopy.
Colonoscopy
Before you schedule a colonoscopy, you'll meet with a gastroenterologist. During this visit, the digestive health specialist will:
- Do a physical exam
- Review your medical history
- Explain how to get ready
- Help you schedule your procedure
Who Should Have a Colonoscopy?
Age 45
You should start screening at age 45 if you have no family history of colorectal cancer or polyps.
Age 40 or Younger
You may need to start earlier if:
- Your parent, sibling, or child had colorectal cancer before age 60.
- Two close family members had colorectal cancer at any age.
In these cases, you should get screened at age 40 or 10 years before the youngest family member’s diagnosis—whichever is earlier.
If you have breast, uterine, or ovarian cancer, talk with your doctor about getting a screening colonoscopy at the time of diagnosis.
Follow-Up Colonoscopy
Your follow-up schedule depends on what the first colonoscopy shows and on your personal risk factors.
What to Expect
You'll receive sedation to relax you and anesthesia to prevent pain before your colonoscopy. Then, the doctor guides a thin tube with a light and camera into your large intestine. The doctor looks for polyps and removes them so a lab can check them for cancer.
Colonoscopy Prep
The day before your colonoscopy, you'll need to clean out your large intestine so the doctor can clearly see your colon. Take laxative prep medication and consume only liquids.
Arrange for a ride home after your colonoscopy. You can't drive after sedation.
The Procedure
Your visit will last about two hours, but the exam takes less than 30 minutes. You will:
- Arrive one hour before your appointment.
- Check in at the Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Center/GI Unit.
- Go with your nurse to a pre-op room.
- Move to the procedure room for your colonoscopy.
After Your Colonoscopy
Your care team will watch your vital signs until you're fully awake. When you're alert and your ride has arrived:
- The doctor will explain your results.
- A nurse will review your discharge instructions.
- You can go home and rest.
Insurance Coverage
Most insurance plans cover colonoscopies. Check to see if you need a referral from your primary care provider before scheduling.
Tips From Our Experts
Read our helpful blog posts to learn more about colon cancer screenings:
CT Colonography
A CT colonography, or virtual colonoscopy, is a less invasive screening test. Your doctor may recommend it if a regular colonoscopy isn't safe for you.
What to Expect
You lie on a CT scanner. A medical professional will place a tiny tube in your rectum and gently add air so the colon opens. Then, the machine takes pictures using a low dose of radiation.
This quick test requires no anesthesia. You may feel cramping afterward, but it should pass quickly.
Colonography Prep
You’ll receive instructions on drinking a solution to cleanse your colon before the test. A clean colon helps the scanner get the clearest pictures and the most accurate results.
Insurance Coverage
Medicare covers CT colonography in certain cases. Ask your insurance provider whether it will cover the test in your situation.
