Study touts scan alternative to colonoscopy

Colon cancer screenings that don't require laxatives are almost as effective as colonoscopies and may encourage more people to be tested, researchers said in a study published yesterday.

Computed tomography (CT) scans that add a contrast agent to identify fecal material in the colon found polyps at a size most likely to turn cancerous in 91 percent of patients, according to the study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. That compares with 95 percent of patients identified using standard colonoscopy, which involves clearing with laxatives before inserting a tiny camera into the bowel.

People are reluctant to have the procedure because they have to spend the day before taking laxatives to clear out the bowels to remove feces that may interfere with seeing lesions. The results suggest a less-invasive approach may work just as well, the researchers said.

"People really do harbor a strong aversion to the prep," said Michael Zalis, director of CT Colonography at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. "To the degree that we can make something easier for them, that's an important step. Nobody should be dying of colon cancer. The key is getting people involved in screening." -- Bloomberg News