Read article Sigmoidoscopy - A to Z
This page links to content about sigmoidoscopy, a test used to diagnose bowel cancer or to screen for the early changes associated with bowel cancer.
Sigmoidoscopy examines the rectum and lower part of the bowel. There are two types of sigmoidoscopy, flexible sigmoidoscopy, which uses a flexible endoscope, and rigid sigmoidoscopy, which uses a rigid device.
We led a major trial of flexible sigmoidoscopy. The landmark trial lasted 16 years and found that a single bowel examination between the ages of 55 and 64, using a flexible tube with a camera and simple treatment to remove polyps, could reduce the incidence of bowel cancer by one-third in the screened population and save thousands of lives. The technique is now a few steps away from being used in the national bowel screening programme to complement the existing Faecal Occult Blood test.
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Sigmoidoscopy is a sub-category of Detecting cancer and Tests
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