Delayed colonoscopies are costing lives and causing more colon cancer

A recent Veteran Affairs study has found that significant delays between an abnormal fecal test and a colonoscopy increase the risk of an advanced stage colorectal cancer diagnosis. The authors suggest targeting awareness and understanding of colon cancer, in physicians and patients, as a potential solution. Despite colon cancer being the third-most common cancer in the US, it is a very preventable disease and researchers in the field frequently highlight the need for better screening programs to address the problem. Fecal DNA tests are common types of screening that require follow-up with colonoscopy to confirm the presence of any cancerous...