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Colonoscopy- Up Close and Personal

596 views · Published 13 October 2014 · 1:47 · Indexed 17 October 2026

Channel: Lee Health · 2014 · Science & Technology

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Getting up close and personal - the colonoscopy offers almost unparalleled access to your large intestine or colon. In the average adult, it’s about 5 feet long; 3 inches in diameter.

“We use a flexible tube that has a light and a camera and we’ll able to see the lining of the colon and basically we’re looking for polyps which are normal growths in the lining. We can remove them and this decreases the chances of getting colon cancer significantly,” says Dr. Irma Cruz, who is a gastroenterologist on medical staff of Lee Memorial Health System. 

This is the view doctor’s see. They look for ulcers, tumors, areas of inflammation or bleeding; and most importantly, very specific polyps.

“The majority of polyps are not cancer. We’re basically looking for adenomas polyps, which are precancerous polyps,” says Dr. Cruz. 

One of the most successful screeners ever, the colonoscopy detects, treats and possibly eliminates the cancer threat. It is also under-utilized. Many people who should get one, don’t.

“The usual recommendation is to start at 50, but if there is family history of colon cancer or polyps, the recommendation is to do it sooner,” says Dr. Cruz, 

Putting expert eyes on your insides makes a big difference.

“Colon cancer is one of the most common cancers in this country and it is one of the leading causes of cancer death. But it doesn’t have to be that way,” says Dr. Cruz. 

Colonoscopy is a great form of prevention, that’s the way doctors see it. 

View More Health Matters video segments at leememorial.org/healthmatters/

Lee Memorial Health System in Fort Myers, FL is the largest network of medical care facilities in Southwest Florida and is highly respected for its expertise, innovation and quality of care. For nearly a century, we’ve been providing our community with everything from primary care treatment to highly specialized care services and robotic assisted surgeries.

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