Colonoscopy screening would avert cancer

Of all malignancies, colon cancer seems the most avoidable. By inserting a flexible scope into a person’s colon via the rectum, a physician can detect precancerous growths called polyps.

A device attached to the scope can snip them off—all during the same outpatient visit. But the procedure, called colonoscopy, is expensive and uncomfortable. So, many people avoid it.