There are few things the average person doesn’t generally bring up in conversation: politics, religion and colonoscopies.

The thought of someone probing your nether regions might make the average man or woman slightly uncomfortable.

It’s the fear of the unknown, medical experts say, that inhibits potential patients from taking the initiative to get checked. For some it might be too late.

Here’s a little incentive.

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cancer killer in the United States, according the National Institute of Health. This year alone, experts estimate there will be 150,000 cases of colon cancer. Roughly 57,000 will succumb to the disease.

For women, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer after breast and lung cancers. For men, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer after prostate and lung cancers.

The disease affects both men and women of all racial and ethic groups and most often found in people 50 years or older. Approximately 41.8 million average-risk people aged 50 or older have not been screened, studies show.

Colorectal cancer is a disease in which cells in the colon or rectum become abnormal and start dividing without control, forming a mass known as a benign or malignant tumor.

If malignant, or cancerous, these cells can invade and destroy the tissue around them, and can also break away from the tumor and spread to form new tumors in other parts of the body.

It normally takes a colon polyp (a growth inside the intestine) two to seven years to become cancerous.

“The fact is people don’t get in line for a colonoscopy, that’s just the way it is,” said Susan Burnett, patient care consultant for McAllen gastroenterologist Fatih Ozcelebi.

“Once they turn 50 it’s something everyone should do just like any other check-up.”

Even with celebrities like Katie Couric, Jimmy Smits and Vanessa Williams raising awareness on the seriousness of the disease, people still aren’t budging. Couric, anchor for the CBS Evening News has garnered the most attention since the passing of her husband, Jay Monahan who died of colon cancer in 1998.

The television journalist later underwent a televised colonoscopy in an effort to encourage more men and women to do the same.

“What some people might not know is that this is perhaps the most preventable cancer,” said Ozcelebi, a 12-year board certified gastroenterologist. “Prevention and early detection are the most important.”

Once a patient has gotten over the initial jitters of requesting a colonoscopy there are several questions often asked.

---What will the procedure be like?

---What instruments will be used?

---How long will it take?

---Will a sedative be used?

---What can a patient expect following the procedure?

What happens during a colonoscopy and how do I prepare?

Perhaps the most common form of screening, this will require some preparation the day before. Patients will be given a strong laxative (two, 10 ounce bottles) to clean out the colon. The patient may be asked to skip aspirin and aspirin-like products for up to 10 days before the procedure to avoid the risk of bleeding if doctors remove polyps during the procedure. During the exam, the doctor uses a narrow, flexible, lighted tube (about the width of a Sharpie) to look at the inside of the rectum and the entire colon. About three feet of the tube is used. During the exam, the doctor may remove polyps (abnormal growths) and collect samples of tissue or cells for closer examination.

Will I feel anything?

A colonoscopy rarely causes much pain, maybe a little pressure or slight bloating during the procedure. A patient lays on their side or back while the doctor slowly advances a colonoscope through your large intestine to examine the lining. The procedure usually takes about 10 to 15 minutes and most patients don’t remember the exam.Patients will be given a mild sedative which allows the body to relax and most often times make the person very sleepy during the exam. A person will need someone to drive him/her to and from the doctor’s office or hospital because of the medication.

After the exam

Results are typically available about three days after a colonoscopy is done. If cancerous growths are detected this may be sooner. Expect some cramping or bloating but should go away quickly when you pass gas. Doctors recommend a walk around the neighborhood to help things along. A person can return to a normal diet after the examination but your doctor might restrict your diet and activities, especially after polypectomy.

Other types of colon screening methods:

---Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT)— This test checks for hidden blood in the stool. At home, you place a small amount of your stool from three consecutive bowel movements on test cards. You return the cards to your doctor’s office or a lab where they’re checked for blood. This test is recommended yearly. (If blood is found, you will need a follow-up colonoscopy.)

You can buy these at-home test at any big box store or neighborhood pharmacy for about $13.

---Flexible Sigmoidoscopy— Before this test, you use a strong laxative and/or enema to clean out the colon. Flexible sigmoidoscopy is conducted in a doctor’s office, clinic, or hospital. The doctor (or other specially-trained healthcare professional) uses a narrow, flexible, lighted tube to look at the inside of the rectum and the lower portion of the colon. During the exam, the doctor may remove polyps (abnormal growths) and collect samples of tissue or cells for closer examination.

Some doctors recommend a combination of both the FOBT and flexible figmoidoscopy tests.