1. < Digestive Health

Colonoscopy interval - Yearly or Every 3 Years?

Posted by evw100 @ew100, Jun 19, 2018

I just received the pathology report for my colonoscopy that I had 2 weeks ago. I had one sessile serrated polyp removed and 4 diminutive tubular adenoma polyps biopsied. These 2 types of polyps, which, left alone, can turn into cancer! I had colonoscopy every 5 years because my mother had colon cancer when she was 77 and died 8 years later. I'm 77 years old. My colonoscopy 5 years ago was no polyps! Because of these pre-cancerous polyps now growing inside my colon, I'm scared and worried sick! Should I have colonoscopy more often, yearly or every 3 years? Anyone who has the same problem, please tell me your experience. My follow-up appointment with my doctor is July 3rd but I can't wait for the answer. I appreciate your response and it sure will bring some peace on my mind in the meantime! Thank you so very much!

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Digestive Health Support Group.

Amanda Roe | @amandajro | Oct 2, 2021
In reply to @spaceboy "A Colonoscopy I had my 1st Colonoscopy in 2010 at 50, then my 2nd Colonoscopy in..." + (show)
@spaceboy

A Colonoscopy I had my 1st Colonoscopy in 2010 at 50, then my 2nd Colonoscopy in 2015 at 55 then my 3rd in 2020 at 60. I am scheduled for my 4th Colonoscopy in 2025 when I am 65. I am scheduled for a Colonoscopy every 5 Years. I believe it's dumb and stupid to schedule it every 5 years. I believe that a Colonoscopy should be done every year as part of a Yearly Medical Phisical. I am in the opinion that Colonoscopies should always be part of a yearly Medical phisiclal. .

Jump to this post

Hello @spaceboy and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Thank you for joining the discussion to share your thoughts. I understand your reasoning... why wait 5 if you can just do it every year, right? Based on Mayo Clinic's recommendations found in the link below, I believe it has much to do with calculated risk.

- Colonoscopy:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/colonoscopy/about/pac-20393569
Based on your 5-year interval, it sounds like you are on the lucky end of low risk which is wonderful! Do you have specific health concerns that you feel warrant more regular screening?

REPLY
dianafrybarger | @dianafrybarger | Jul 8, 2022

I believe a colonoscopy should be done every year.
I was diagnosed with colon cancer last year with a 5 cm tumor with large venous lymphovascular invasion. I am 71 years old, female.
I just had a 1 year follow up surveillance colonoscopy and was told no biopsies were taken but my doctor posted on portal the day of my colonoscopy and I quote: “6-8 BIOPSIES TAKEN ON HIGH RISK PATIENTS.”
A week after my colonoscopy, I went in to medical records to pick up my path results but only given procedure report which I already had been given right after my colonoscopy. I insisted on my Path report but then medical records informed me that my path results were sent off to Vanderbilt. Then my Dr’s nurse came in and said there will be no Path report because no biopsies were taken. Then my cancer insurance company verified a MASS SEEN IN MY APPENDICIDEAL ORIFICE. My doctor’s nurse and his medical staff in medical records all went along with this undisclosed cancer diagnosis with cancer I believe metastizing now in my appendix. My doctor recommended another colonoscopy in 3 years but intentionally never informed me of any biopsies taken or of this MASS seen in my appendix. I was intentionally lied to my doctor, nurse and medical personnel all going along with this deception. I wrote my doctor a letter about the MASS in my appendix as positively disclosed to me by my cancer insurance company. The 2nd imaging picture I was given right after my colonoscopy is very very focal so I could see this mass as I blew up the picture. I also wrote an email to the endoscopy center where I had my colonoscopy and I believe they must have confronted this Dr. My Dr wrote me a letter back stating that we had some kind of miss communication here and I would be better off finding a new physician but that I needed medical care. This Dr also mentioned absolutely no cancer in the colon. Then this Dr sent the Path Reports to 4 of my other doctors but never bothered to inform me of any abnormality; I am just the patient. To find out like this is so very very medically unethical and so mishandled by this endoscopy center.
I am sooooo upset at this doctor and his entire medical staff for intentionally lieing to me. The procedure report mentioned: “EXCAVATED LESIONS: THE QUALITY OF THE PREPARATION WAS ADEQUATE TO IDENTIFY POLYPS OF MORE THAN 6 MM.” I told the nurse the procedure report mentioned EXCAVATED LESIONS which means to remove/cut out/biopsies and I quote; she responded: “I told the doctor you would say that.” I was only told, on the procedure report that several diverticula with large openings were seen in the whole colon; moderate severity. LUMEN EVIDENCE OF A PREVIOUS END-TO-END COLO-COLONIC ANASTOMOSIS WAS SEEN IN TRANSVERSE COLON.”
Cancer patients want the truth no matter the outcome. Maybe they informed my daughter of the actual findings but I was the last one to know and they way I found out—like this— is highly highly devestating to a patient that they thought they could trust their doctor. I pray no other cancer patient will ever have to go through this because I cannot seem to function properly after this intentional deceit by my doctor and his medical staff. The anesthesiology report also mentioned TIME OUT and that is another indication before incision/biopsies; etc.

REPLY
1 reply
robertatheriveter | @robertatheriveter | Jul 8, 2022
In reply to @dianafrybarger "I believe a colonoscopy should be done every year. I was diagnosed with colon cancer last..." + (show)
@dianafrybarger

I believe a colonoscopy should be done every year.
I was diagnosed with colon cancer last year with a 5 cm tumor with large venous lymphovascular invasion. I am 71 years old, female.
I just had a 1 year follow up surveillance colonoscopy and was told no biopsies were taken but my doctor posted on portal the day of my colonoscopy and I quote: “6-8 BIOPSIES TAKEN ON HIGH RISK PATIENTS.”
A week after my colonoscopy, I went in to medical records to pick up my path results but only given procedure report which I already had been given right after my colonoscopy. I insisted on my Path report but then medical records informed me that my path results were sent off to Vanderbilt. Then my Dr’s nurse came in and said there will be no Path report because no biopsies were taken. Then my cancer insurance company verified a MASS SEEN IN MY APPENDICIDEAL ORIFICE. My doctor’s nurse and his medical staff in medical records all went along with this undisclosed cancer diagnosis with cancer I believe metastizing now in my appendix. My doctor recommended another colonoscopy in 3 years but intentionally never informed me of any biopsies taken or of this MASS seen in my appendix. I was intentionally lied to my doctor, nurse and medical personnel all going along with this deception. I wrote my doctor a letter about the MASS in my appendix as positively disclosed to me by my cancer insurance company. The 2nd imaging picture I was given right after my colonoscopy is very very focal so I could see this mass as I blew up the picture. I also wrote an email to the endoscopy center where I had my colonoscopy and I believe they must have confronted this Dr. My Dr wrote me a letter back stating that we had some kind of miss communication here and I would be better off finding a new physician but that I needed medical care. This Dr also mentioned absolutely no cancer in the colon. Then this Dr sent the Path Reports to 4 of my other doctors but never bothered to inform me of any abnormality; I am just the patient. To find out like this is so very very medically unethical and so mishandled by this endoscopy center.
I am sooooo upset at this doctor and his entire medical staff for intentionally lieing to me. The procedure report mentioned: “EXCAVATED LESIONS: THE QUALITY OF THE PREPARATION WAS ADEQUATE TO IDENTIFY POLYPS OF MORE THAN 6 MM.” I told the nurse the procedure report mentioned EXCAVATED LESIONS which means to remove/cut out/biopsies and I quote; she responded: “I told the doctor you would say that.” I was only told, on the procedure report that several diverticula with large openings were seen in the whole colon; moderate severity. LUMEN EVIDENCE OF A PREVIOUS END-TO-END COLO-COLONIC ANASTOMOSIS WAS SEEN IN TRANSVERSE COLON.”
Cancer patients want the truth no matter the outcome. Maybe they informed my daughter of the actual findings but I was the last one to know and they way I found out—like this— is highly highly devestating to a patient that they thought they could trust their doctor. I pray no other cancer patient will ever have to go through this because I cannot seem to function properly after this intentional deceit by my doctor and his medical staff. The anesthesiology report also mentioned TIME OUT and that is another indication before incision/biopsies; etc.

Jump to this post

How awful for you! A cancer diagnosis is stressful enough, but to be lied to by a medical professional is beyond abhorrent. I wish you good luck in finding an ethical doctor to take over your treatment now.

REPLY
View MoreView Less
Please sign in or register to post a reply.