After age 75, recurrences of colon cancer are rare and the risks of repeated colonoscopies may outweigh the benefits. People with colorectal cancer or high-risk polyps usually undergo repeat colonoscopies every few years to make sure the disease hasnt recurred. The older patients were about 28% more likely to be hospitalized after surveillance screening than the younger patients. Post-procedure hospitalization is not necessarily life threatening, but can be serious. The American College of Physicians recommends that screening stop after age 75. Surveillance colonoscopies should not be withheld, but should be used conservatively, and doctors always need to use their judgment on the benefits and risks of a procedure in an individual patient. Dr. An Hong Tran of Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center in California, reported August 11 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Posted on: Fri, 15 Aug 2014 02:13:58 +0000
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