Oakland Office

1027 Memorial Drive
Oakland, MD 21550

301-533-3300

Grantsville Office

104 Parkview Drive
Grantsville, MD 21536

844-652-8735

Mountain Laurel Medical Center

Westernport Office

22221 Westernport RD SW,
Westernport, MD 21562

240-774-0204

Bruceton Office

198 Morgantown Street, Suite 2
Bruceton Mills, WV 26525

304-379-7600

We have a provider on call 24/7 for established patients. If you need treatment for urgent, non-life-threatening conditions when the office is closed, call 301-533-3300 and press option “4” to be connected.

Wonder what the best options are for you when it comes to Colorectal Cancer Screenings? Our list can give you a quick understanding of what each test looks like, and what to expect before, during, and after!

  •  Colonoscopy

    • Performed once every 10 years for those 50 years of age and over at average risk
    • Allows for complete evaluation of the colon and removal of potentially precancerous polyps. It’s the only cancer screening tool that is both diagnostic and therapeutic.
    • Testing is done under intravenous sedation to assure comfort during the exam
    • Complete bowel prep is required the night before
  • Fecal immunochemical testing (FIT) – stool blood test

    • Performed each year for those 50 and over
    • Tests for hidden blood in the stool.
    • It’s non-invasive and detects about 79% of colorectal cancers and 30% of large colorectal polyps.
  • Flexible sigmoidoscopy

    • Performed every four years for those 50 years of age and over at average risk
    • This exam only evaluates 1/3 of the colon.
    • Testing is typically done without any sedation, so it can be uncomfortable, but should not be painful.
    • A complete bowel prep is not required
    • If polyps are found, a full colonoscopy must be performed for removal
  • Barium enema with air contrast

    • A chalky substance, which shows up on x-ray, is given as an enema. Air is then pumped into the colon causing it to expand. X-ray films then take pictures of the colon.
    • No sedation is required
    • Large polyps and growths can be missed, but if polyps are detected, a full colonoscopy will be required
    • Procedure can be uncomfortable
  • Virtual colonoscopy (CT Colonography)

    • The bowel is inflated with air by a small tube placed in the rectum. Then a special CT scan is used to image the colon
    • High detection rate for medium to large polyps but is ineffective in detecting small polyps
    • If a polyp or other abnormality is found, a colonoscopy must be performed