Elderly people are at a high risk of getting colorectal cancer. Regular screening is recommended for people above the age of 50. There are various ways for screening but the most common used is colonoscopy which is considered safe. Though colonoscopies are safe, there are still some risks with the procedure. Rectal bleeding, abdominal pains and bowel tear may occur after the procedure. The risks increase as one advances in age. It is however not recommended for people over the age of 75. Colonoscopy is overly used by the elderly people. Though regular screen is important, one should have a repeat tests after ten years. However, many people are getting tested even between three to five years after a negative test without any medical grounds. Getting tested too soon without medical reasons does not make sense.

The rate at which the elderly persons are having the procedure is alarming. Medical experts recommend a repeat procedure after ten years. However, people are having a second colonoscopy in less than seven years after a negative colonoscopy.Colorectal cancer develops slowly hence no reason to have regular screening. The small polyps take a long time, usually years, to develop into cancerous cells. The main argument is that the elderly people do not need this regular screening as it exposes them to other risks such as painful stomach which is common in the older people after bowel surgeries. There is need to persuade some people to drop the believe that colonoscopies are essential forever. Just like Bill Fullington found out, the procedure can be life threatening when done on people above the age of 80.

Work Cited

Span, Paula. “Too Many Colonoscopies in the Elderly.” The New Old Age Blog, 28 Mar. 2013, newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/12/too-many-colonoscopies-in-the-elderly.