The Importance of Colonoscopy in Preventing Colon Cancer

The importance of colonoscopy in preventing colon cancer. In this video, Sanjay K. Reddy, M.D., a board-certified gastroenterologist at Digestive Disease Consultants Orlando explains why colonoscopy is vital to prevent colon cancer and how easy and comfortable his award-winning staff makes it for patients.

“The first thing that's important to understand is that colon cancer is a very common cancer; it affects one out of twenty people in this country,” says Dr. Reddy. “When you look at cancer death in men and women, colon cancer is the number two cause. So it's a widespread cancer, and a lot of times folks don't realize that.”

“On the other side of the equation, it's important to understand that colon cancer is beatable, treatable, and preventable. And colonoscopy saves lives. We see day in, and day out that colon cancer screening is a life-saving technology. And I think that's an important point that a lot of people don't realize. I enjoy getting to share that message with folks and help them through the screening and prevention process.”

“After a colonoscopy, probably the number one question that I'm asked in the recovery room is, ‘Did you really perform my procedure? Are we really done?’ And three factors play a role in that excellent patient experience you're going to have. The first is we have an outstanding team. The staff at our ambulatory surgery center are award-winning. They've been recognized twice nationally this year, and we're really proud of them. Our staff is the cornerstone of the colonoscopy process.”

“Another important thing to understand is that we have cutting-edge technology. We use the latest equipment, high definition, optical colonoscopes, and that makes it much safer, and a more comfortable process. And the third component is following best practices with sedation. Use of deep sedation for colonoscopy makes it very comfortable, very safe, and very efficient. And our patients appreciate that. We enjoy working with the staff on both the clinic side and the surgery center side, and it's nice that they've been recognized. I enjoy bragging about them because they do a great job.”