HUGH GOULDTHORPE
was in his
mid 30s when his doctor found an
abnormal growth in his intestines
during a routine rectal exam. On
the advice of his physician, he
began having a colonoscopy every
three to fve years.
“I never missed the prescribed
check-up,” says Gouldthorpe, now
72. “I thought it was great preven-
tive medicine.”
A procedure used to look for
early signs of colorectal cancer, a
colonoscopy can detect infamed
tissue, ulcers and abnormal
growths called polyps. During the
screening, a long, lighted tube with
a tiny camera is inserted into the
rectum and through the colon. If a
polyp is found, the doctor can usu-
ally remove it using a special tool
attached to the scope.
In Gouldthorpe’s case, polyps
were found during several of the
subsequent colonoscopies. Each
time, they were removed and found
to be benign.
Tis April, during Gouldthorpe’s
routine fve-year exam, Beaufort
Memorial Hospital gastroenterolo-
gist Kevin Kearney, MD, found what
appeared to be an irregular growth
in Gouldthorpe’s rectum.
“When he came into the room
after the procedure, I knew by the
look on his face it wasn’t good,”
Gouldthorpe recalled. “Te pathol-
ogy confrmed it was cancerous.”
Bottom line,
you need this
screening
Although the tumor had not
penetrated the muscle, one lymph
node had been afected. Following
surgery to remove the tumor,
Gouldthorpe underwent radiation
at Beaufort Memorial Hospital’s
Keyserling Cancer Center. Majd
Chahin, MD, his medical oncolo-
gist, is overseeing the last of his
chemotherapy treatments in
January.
“I credit Dr. Kearney for saving
my life,” Gouldthorpe says.
To educate the public on the im-
portance of the screenings, March
has been designated National
Colorectal Cancer Month.
“People are more aware now
than ever of the benefts of a colo-
noscopy,” says Dr. Kearney, who
practiced in New Jersey for 18 years
before opening Beaufort Memorial
Center for Digestive Diseases in
2010. “But their willingness to have
the procedure is a diferent story.
Tey’re embarrassed or scared to
have it done.”
During a colonoscopy, patients
are sedated so they don’t feel a thing.
What most people dread is the
“bowel prep” that is required before
the screening. Te oral laxative solu-
tion is necessary to clean out your
bowels so the doctor has a clear view
of the lining of your colon.
“It’s so important,” Kearney says.
“It’s not a worthwhile test if I can’t
see.”
In Gouldthorpe’s case, it was
critical.
“If he hadn’t prepped properly,
his tumor could have easily been
missed,” Kearney says.
Along with cancer, other gas-
trointestinal problems can be
discovered during a colonoscopy,
including diverticulitis, colitis,
hemorrhoids and bleeding vessels.
Polyps are found in about half the
screenings.
“When the polyp is small, it can
be removed during the colonos-
copy,” Kearney says. “If it turns out
to be malignant, that’s all it took to
cure the patient of colon cancer.”
Te lifetime risk in men of devel-
oping colorectal cancer is about 1 in
19. Te risk for women is 1 in 20. In
some cases, a patient may not have
any of the usual symptoms and still
have full-blown colon cancer.
“A colonoscopy is just as im-
portant as a mammogram or pap
smear,” Kearney says. “Just ask any-
one who has had colon cancer.”
COLONOSCOPY
Doctor Referral Service: 888-522-5585 • Health Scene
27
Make the call
For more information on Beaufort
Memorial Hospital’s digestive (GI) services,
visit
www.bmhsc.org
.
Dr. Kearney can be reached
at
843-522-7890
.