Decatur, TX - A test called Small Camera Pill has been introduced recently for more easy and accurate colon cancer testing.

A new option for colon cancer screening has started being used that allows the colon to be examined without the need for the more invasive colonoscopy procedure. The camera pill is swallowed by patients after which it makes its way through the colon, taking pictures along the way. While the camera pill is currently only being used as a follow-up procedure to the colonoscopy, there is hope that it will one day stand on its own as an accurate, non-invasive, and relatively easy option for regular colon screenings.

“We owe a world of debt to the colonoscopy for its accurate detection of abnormalities in the colon,” says Dr. Gregory Echt, the founder and lead surgeon at North Texas Cancer Center at Wise. “But we are always looking for new and better ways to screen for colon cancer that are less invasive, faster, and more cost-effective for everyone involved.”

The use of a camera pill for colon screenings still requires the patient to undergo the dreaded bowel prep that is required before a colonoscopy but that is about the most unpleasant part of the process. The camera works its way through the intestines which can sometimes take up to 10 hours. During this time the patient is slightly limited in their activities so that the most accurate images can be captured. Any areas of suspicion are quickly followed-up on and may require additional tests. Still, the camera pill represents the amazing new strides that are continually taken to establish better forms of testing.

“We are always excited by new developments in cancer detection,” says Dr. Echt. “The camera pill is certainly one of those exciting developments in terms of detecting colon cancer and we are hopeful that it will present itself as one of the outstanding methods for cancer detection in the coming years; a method that we can hopefully present to our patients one day.”

About the Center:
Established by leading radiation oncologist, Dr. Gregory Echt, North Texas Cancer Center at Wise provides a full range of cancer treatment options including chemotherapy, radiation therapy (IMRT, IGRT, and SBRT), prostate seed implantation, MammoSite therapy, access to PET/CT scanner, hormonal therapy, and combination therapy. For more information visit northtexascancercenteratwise.com