Bhubaneswar: With gastroenterological issues being detected late, leading to life-threatening diseases, health experts suggest examination of both upper and lower gastrointestinal organs to be part of routine health check-up, even when there is mild symptom or family history.According to senior gastroenterologist Dr Manoj Sahu, different studies point to the fact that in Indian condition, people should go for gastrointestinal (GI) examination after 45 years of age. “After 45, examination of upper and lower GI organs is required, but there should be some risk features such as family history of cancer of both GI, pre-malignant lesion, gastric atrophy and dyspepsia, or colonic polyp. Having these conditions, if people don’t go for check-up, it can take bigger and fatal shape,” Dr Sahu said.He added if stomach discomfort persists even after medication, GI examination is a must. “If tobacco use is regular and feeling of food getting stuck up and if there is significant weight loss (10% in three months), then GI examination is required to make sure that the disease is diagnosed,” he said.A recent study conducted jointly by senior gastroenterologists Dr Sonmoon Mohapatra and Dr Ashutosh Mohapatra in Indian Journal of Gastroenterology also pointed out that because of lack of formal screening, incidence of colorectal cancer in India is on the rise. “After the age of 50, colonoscopy examination is needed for everybody as out of 100 tests done, 30 present with pre-cancer state. In India, we perceive that colonoscopy is not required because everything is going fine. The test is meant to rule out disease. Also, the quality of test is very important. In Western countries, there is a dedicated protocol for lower GI screening,” said Dr Sonmoon.She added during screening, if adenoma is detected, then patient can be saved from cancer because it is a pre-cancerous stage. “If in the first colonoscopy examination, no anomaly is detected, the test can be repeated after 10 years, but if there are two-three adenoma detected, it should be repeated after five years,” Mohapatra said.
