You should get a letter or a call with your results 2 to 3 weeks after a colonoscopy. If a GP sent you for the test, they should also get a copy of your results. Call the hospital if you have not heard anything after 3 weeks.
If your colonoscopy results list a positive finding, this means your doctor spotted a polyp or other abnormality in the colon. This is very common, and not a reason to panic. Most polyps are harmless, and your doctor probably removed it during the colonoscopy. Some polyps, however, can be cancerous or precancerous.
Colon Cancer Diagnosis: Getting a Colonoscopy
Screening is crucial for cancer detection because most colorectal cancers don't cause symptoms in the early stages. Many times, doctors first spot colon cancer during a routine screening colonoscopy.
Your colonoscopist will discuss the biopsy results with you once a report has been received from the pathologist, which is usually within a week. At that meeting, it is important to find out the number, size, and pathology of any polyps detected and when you should schedule your next colonoscopy.
Before you go home, your doctor tells you if they removed any growths (polyps) or tissue samples (biopsies) from your bowel. The biopsy results can take up to 2 weeks.
If a doctor discovers polyps, they will often remove them via a colonoscopy or laparoscopy. The doctor will then send any removed polyps to a pathologist for a biopsy to see if cancer is present. If the biopsy reveals that cancer is present, then cancer specialists will outline a treatment plan for the person.
A gastroenterologist, the specialist who usually performs a colonoscopy, can't tell for certain if a colon polyp is precancerous or cancerous until it's removed and examined under a microscope.
Right After the Test
Your IV will be removed. Your doctor will likely come to talk to you and explain the results of the test. Ask to have this information written down, as you may not remember what you were told later on. Final results for any tissue biopsies that were done may take up to 1 to 3 weeks.
If you have a positive test result, you should see your GP to find out what's causing the bleeding. Your GP will probably refer you to a specialist to have a procedure called a colonoscopy. For more details, read the colonoscopy information brochure.
Regardless of whether you've had your polyps removed, your doctor will recommend follow-up visits, which will involve repeat colonoscopies. The specific timing of these checkups will be dependent on what type of polyps you had, their number, and their size.
If a polyp is removed or a sample of the colon lining is removed (a colonic biopsy), it may take a few days (or more) to find out that cancer, an adenoma or another finding was discovered.
Gastroscopy and colonoscopy are the main tests to detect gastric cancer, also known as stomach cancer, in the early stages. Both procedures are performed under light anesthetic to check for any abnormality in the digestive system.
The most likely result of a colonoscopy that shows up with abnormal findings is the presence of polyps. These are growths that can be found in the colon. In most cases these polyps are benign, but they do have the possibility of becoming cancerous.
As this test does not examine the whole colon, it cannot detect cancers or polyps in the unexamined portion. At best, it can detect 70% of cancers and polyps. If an abnormality is detected, a follow-up colonoscopy is needed to look at the entire colon.
If you do have to use an Australia Post mail box, please post them in the late afternoon, before 6pm. Your samples will be sent to the laboratory and your results will be mailed to you in around 2 weeks. If you receive a negative result, this means that no blood was found in your samples.
Interfering Factors
False-positive results have been associated with red or rare meat as well as raw fruits and vegetables, including but not limited to horseradish, raw turnips, cantaloupe, broccoli, cauliflower, parsnips, and red radishes.
False-positive (FP) results of fecal immunochemical tests (FITs) conducted in colorectal cancer (CRC) screening could lead to performing unnecessary colonoscopies. Hemorrhoids are a possible cause of FP FIT results; however, studies on this topic are extremely rare.
Because a colonoscopy is performed with the patient under the effects of sedation, the patient will need to arrange for a ride home. Once they are at home, patients should allow themselves at least 24 hours to rest and recover.
Pain after the procedure: Some people have stomach pain after a colonoscopy. A person may also experience mild irritation to their rectum, gas, or other digestive problems. These symptoms are usually mild and tend to go away in a few days.
Nearly all cases of colorectal cancer develop from polyps. They start in the inner lining of the colon and most often affect the left side of the colon and rectum.