Essentia Health-Moose Lake encourages colorectal cancer screenings

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and is the perfect opportunity to talk to your provider about any concerns you may have, or to schedule a screening.

For those in the Moose Lake area, Essentia Health-Moose Lake is uniquely equipped to address your questions and concerns.

Dr. Ryan James, the newest general surgeon at Essentia Health-Moose Lake, says anyone 45 and older should consider a screening for colorectal cancer. If you have a family history of the disease, your screenings should start sooner. Catching it early is key and increases survival rates.

Colonoscopies are the most effective screening method. A colonoscopy is a procedure in which a fiber-optic scope with a camera is inserted into the colon to look for polyps and other growths, some of which can be removed at the same time. Dr. James says most of the time the polyps that are removed are benign, but they can become cancerous. Regular screenings facilitate quick removal of polyps.

“What we’re learning about colon cancer has helped us decrease the risk of acquiring this disease, but through regular screening and preventive measures, the mortality rate is going down as well,” said Dr. James. “Catching cancer early is paramount in being able to successfully treat it and have the best possible outcome.”

Colonoscopies are readily available at Essentia Health-Moose Lake.

For more complex treatments that require the removal of portions of the colon, Essentia Health-Moose Lake recently introduced the da Vinci Xi Surgical System.

The da Vinci is a cutting-edge platform enabling robot-assisted surgeries that improve patient outcomes and reduce recovery times. As it relates to colon surgeries, it is most often used in non-cancerous procedures. However, it can assist in treating colon cancer. Surgeons can remove the diseased section of the colon, along with nearby lymph nodes, with a procedure called a colectomy. The minimally invasive procedure is another example of Essentia bringing expert care closer to home for the patients we are privileged to serve.

“The da Vinci can perform dozens of different procedures for a variety of conditions,” Dr. Ryan said. “This is just one example of how it’s used to meet the health needs of our patients and help them get back to a healthy life quicker, and with fewer complications, than some surgical techniques that were used before.”

The robotic approach has become a vital operative tool across almost all surgical specialties, including general surgery, colorectal surgery, gynecological surgery and urology.