What is a Colonoscopy?

People who are concerned about bowel cancer will usually consult their general practitioner (GP). If their GP thinks a person’s concerns warrant specialist investigation, they will usually arrange referral to a gastroenterologist or colorectal surgeon (a specialist) for a colonoscopy.

A colonoscopy is the main test used to investigate or diagnose bowel cancer, and involves a specialist carefully passing a colonoscope (a tiny camera on a long flexible tube) into the person’s rectum and along the entire length of the large bowel.

There are special dietary requirements and bowel preparations to take in the days leading up to the procedure, and this is important because it helps the doctor or nurse to see the bowel clearly.

Before the colonoscopy, patients receive sedative medicine to relax.

During the procedure the specialist may also remove polyps (small growths) or samples for testing. The procedure itself takes about 20 to 30 minutes and patients are usually able to go home about two hours later, after the effect of the sedation wears off.

After the procedure, patients are informed briefly about how the procedure went, and any follow-up that is required.

A letter outlining the results of the colonoscopy are then sent to the patient, their GP, and any other doctors who may need to be informed. The letter or report will say why the patient had the colonoscopy, and what was found, whether any tissue or growths (such as polyps) were removed from the bowel and sent for testing, and the results of those tests.

You can learn more about bowel cancer and the colonoscopy procedure by visiting the Cancer Council website: Bowel cancer | Causes, Symptoms & Treatments | Cancer Council

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