Is there some way to find colorectal cancer early?
Screening tests help find the cancer early. It can then be treated before it spreads. These tests also help find polyps before they become cancer. One test is a fecal occult blood test. This test checks for blood in the stool. For a sigmoidoscopy, the doctor inserts a lighted tube to see inside the rectum and the lower colon. For a colonoscopy, the doctor inserts a lighted tube inside the rectum and the entire colon. During either test, the doctor can remove polyps or other abnormal tissue or a biopsy. The doctor can then look at the tissue under a microscope for signs of cancer. Finding the cancer early can allow for treatment before it has spread.
