Colon Cancer Screening

People who have been diagnosed and treated for colon cancer usually have a complete bowel examination (colonoscopy) as part of their evaluation. If you did not have a colonoscopy prior to your treatment, this should be completed with six months of your diagnosis.

Even if you have had a normal colonoscopy, you will still need periodic examinations to ensure that cancer and pre-cancerous polyps have not returned. A typical schedule for follow-up examinations would include

• a colonoscopy one year after your diagnosis, followed by

• a repeat colonoscopy in three additional years, then

• screening colonoscopy every three to five years indefinitely.

Be sure to speak with your doctor if you have missed any of these follow-up examinations, or if you have general questions about your diagnosis of colon cancer.