How is Colon Cancer Diagnosed and Staged?
In order to diagnose colon cancer, physicians will request a complete physical exam as well as personal and family medical histories. Diagnoses are usually made after the physician conducts a colonoscopy or a barium enema x-ray (lower G series). A colonoscopy is a procedure where a long, flexible tube with a camera on one end is inserted into the rectum to inspect the inside of the colon. If polyps are found in the colon, they are removed and sent to a pathologist for biopsy – an examination under a microscope that is used to detect cancerous or precancerous cells. A barium enema begins with the patient swallowing a special liquid that contains the element barium. After the barium lines the large intestine, an x-ray of the colon and rectum is taken. Tumors and polyps will appear as dark shadows on the x-ray. If a colon cancer diagnosis is made after a biopsy, doctors will often order chest x-rays, ultrasounds, or CT scans of the lungs, liver, and abdomens to see how far the cancer has
