Cassia Regional Hospital stresses the importance of colon cancer screenings with inflatable colon

BURLEY, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — A giant inflatable colon visited Cassia Regional Hospital in Burley to promote the importance of getting your colonoscopy.

The giant colon brought to life what the inside of your colon could look like if you have colon cancer, a polyp, Chron’s Disease or a normal colon lining.

One doctor at the hospital says colon cancer is the second most common cause of death by cancer, following lung cancer.

He says getting screened for colon cancer can and will save lives, because if you catch the cancer early enough, the patient can be healthy afterwards.

“Colon cancer is a cancer that is slow to develop, our studies tell us that it takes on average 10 to 17 years for a polyp to finally arrive at cancer, so if you can get that conversation early and intervene before it has a chance to happen, those are lives that are saved,” said Aaron Guercio, a general surgeon.

New research shows people should begin getting colonoscopy’s at age 45, or earlier if you have a family history of the cancer.

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