Countywide : UCI Staff to Help With Colon Cancer Screening

Physicians at UC Irvine will donate their time to provide low-cost colon cancer screening to the public to promote early detection of the disease, which is highly curable in the beginning stages.

The screening program uses a technique called flexible sigmoidoscopy, which uses fiber optics to visualize the lower third of the colon, where about 60% of cancers occur. Patients or their insurance companies will be charged only for the cost of facilities, testing and materials required for screening.

Individuals over 50 have the highest risk of developing colon cancer, which strikes about 6% of the U.S. population, according to Dr. Daniel Hollander, head of gastroenterology at the UCI College of Medicine and director of the screening program. Over-the-counter colon cancer tests have a high false-negative rate and often fail to detect cancer in the early stages, he said.

For information, call (714) 856-8600 or the UCI Medical Center gastroenterology diagnostic laboratory at (714) 634-5688.