When Marge Simpson gives Homer "the most important gift a man your age can get" — a colonoscopy — his doctor explains that early detection can lead to "the complete removal of tumorous polyps."

That's because a colonoscopy is not simply an examination of your intestines; colonoscopy also lets the doc spot and remove benign, precancerous, or cancerous polyps that form on the lining of the colon. During Homer's procedure, in addition to removing a Sgt. Peppers CD, the doctor cut out three small clumps of cells. Whew! Homer was good to go for several more seasons.

So, guys and gals, if you want to be good to go for several more seasons, here's a serious tip: Get a colonoscopy. Over the past decade there has been a significant decrease in colorectal cancer death rates; likely because more people are getting the exam. Just ask Drs. Oz and Roizen — both needed polyp removal.

Right after Dr. Oz turned 50, he had his first colonoscopy broadcast on national TV. To everyone's surprise, the healthy, no-history-of-cancer-in-the-family Oz had a precancerous polyp removed. After a follow-up colonoscopy a few months later, guess what? A clean bill of health. Same for Dr. Roizen (but not on TV).

Even if a polyp is cancerous, there's a 90 percent survival rate if removed early. So don't miss that first colonoscopy — at age 45 for African Americans, age 50 for most others, and earlier if you have a family history. The first colonoscopy has the biggest effect on reducing deaths from colon cancer.


© 2012 Michael Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet Oz, M.D.
Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.