March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month; Women’s Excellence Now Open in Birmingham, Michigan Now Offers Colon Cancer Screening as a Part of Routine Gynecological Exams

Birmingham, Michigan (PRWEB) March 06, 2014

With colon cancer being one of the leading cancers in women, Women’s Excellence, now open in Birmingham, Clarkston, and Lake Orion, Michigan, routinely screens women over the age of 50 at their yearly annual gynecological exams. The test is called the fecal occult blood test (FOBT) and is covered by most insurance plans on an annual basis after the age of 50. The test is minimally invasive and requires a small sample of stool that is easily obtained during the gynecological exam. The test is done to detect blood in the stool and requires no preparation.

Blood in the stool may be the only symptom of colorectal cancer, but not all blood in the stool is caused by cancer. Other conditions that can cause blood in the stool include: hemorrhoids, anal fissures, colon polyps, peptic ulcers, ulcerative colitis, inflammatory bowel disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Crohn’s disease, and/or use of aspirin or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS). Although stool tests such as FOBT are used to check for colorectal cancer, they are never used to diagnose it. Other tests of diagnostic value include flexible sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, and CT scan. A biopsy is needed to confirm diagnosis of colon cancer.

According to Dr. Jonathan Zaidan, MD, FACOG, founder and physician at Women’s Excellence, “Often the annual gynecological visit is a typical healthy woman’s only contact with a health care provider in a calendar year. We have an obligation to women over 50 years of age to not only screen for cervical cancer and breast cancer, but for colon cancer as well. It is an easy screening to fit into the annual visit and takes no additional time at all. We are happy to provide this service to our patients and make appropriate referrals based upon the results”.

Founded by Dr. Jonathan Zaidan, Women’s Excellence is the most comprehensive obstetric and gynecologic office in Michigan also specializing in menopause, weight control, bladder control, endometriosis, robotic surgery, pelvic floor physical therapy, and midwifery services. The knowledgeable, well-trained, compassionate physicians and healthcare providers of Women’s Excellence in OB/GYN are now accepting new patients. Call for an appointment today (248) 693-0543 for Lake Orion, (248) 384-8020 for Clarkston, or (248) 645-0840 for Birmingham or visit http://www.womensexcellence.com.

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2014/03/prweb11638338.htm