Colonoscopy is the best option for colorectal cancer detection and prevention, according to the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) in Bethesda, MD.
The college emphasized this point in a March 1 letter to President Barack Obama, who underwent virtual colonoscopy (also known as CT colonography or CTC) as part of a comprehensive physical.
"There is no evidence that CT colonography prevents the development of colorectal cancer," wrote the ACG, citing the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS) denial last year of coverage of virtual colonoscopy for Medicare beneficiaries.
The ACG is particularly concerned about colorectal cancer screening in the African-American community, it said in the letter, as this population is often diagnosed with the cancer at younger ages and has decreased survival rates compared to other groups.
"Colonoscopy is one of the most powerful preventive tools in clinical medicine because of its excellent sensitivity in detecting polyps and its potential for removing them and breaking the sequence of polyp to cancer in a single diagnostic and therapeutic intervention," the ACG said.
Related Reading
Obama gets virtual colonoscopy, keeps presidential powers, March 1, 2010
Editorial: CMS unfairly held VC to higher standard, February 5, 2010
VC CAD application does well alone and as reader aid, February 15, 2010
VC screening maintains performance in Medicare population, November 9, 2009
MedCAC panel members question VC's effectiveness, November 20, 2008
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