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Results
By Mayo Clinic staffYour doctor will review the results of the flexible sigmoidoscopy exam and then share the results with you.
- Negative result. A flexible sigmoidoscopy exam is considered negative if the doctor doesn't find any abnormalities in the colon. If you're at average risk of colon cancer — you have no colon cancer risk factors other than age — your doctor may recommend waiting five years and then repeating the exam.
- Positive result. A flexible sigmoidoscopy exam is considered positive if the doctor finds any polyps or abnormal tissue in the colon. Depending on the findings, you may need additional testing — such as a colonoscopy — so that any abnormalities can be examined more thoroughly, biopsied or removed. During colonoscopy, the doctor can also screen the entire colon for other abnormalities.
If your doctor is concerned about the quality of the view through the scope, he or she may recommend a repeat flexible sigmoidoscopy exam or another screening test.
References
- Corbett JV. Laboratory Tests and Diagnostic Procedures with Nursing Diagnoses. 7th ed. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson/Prentice Hall; 2008:743.
- Levin B, et al. Screening and surveillance for the early detection of colorectal cancer and adenomatous polyps, 2008: A joint guideline from the American Cancer Society, the US Multi-Society Task Force on Colorectal Cancer, and the American College of Radiology. Gastroenterology. 2008;134:1570.
- Fletcher RH. Screening strategies in patients at average risk for colorectal cancer. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 17, 2009.
- Whitlock EP, et al. Screening for colorectal cancer: A targeted, updated systematic review for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2008;149:638.
- Frequently asked questions about colonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy. American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_6x_Frequent_Questions_About_Colonoscopy_and_Sigmoidoscopy.asp. Accessed March 27, 2009.
- Charette A. Patient information: Flexible sigmoidoscopy. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 17, 2009.
- Flexible sigmoidoscopy. National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/sigmoidoscopy/index.htm. Accessed March 17, 2009.
