According to Gastro Health Partner physician Dr. Abdul Jabbar, “When you look at a colon cancer map of the USA, you’ll be surprised to see that along the Ohio river, specifically over Clark and Floyd county, there are significantly higher incidences of colon cancer.” This is due in large part to the region’s lifestyle. A lack of exercise, high obesity rates, excessive alcohol consumption, tobacco use and a diet high in processed red meat and low in fibrous fruits and vegetables can lead to colorectal cancer.
Having recently sat down with Baptist Health Floyd for one of their Health Topics episodes, Dr. Jabbar is quick to point out how colon screenings can save lives. “A colonoscopy is one of the best tools available,” he says. With timely colon screenings, the rate of colorectal cancer mortality in the area has decreased as much as 53%.
What is a colonoscopy?
A colonoscopy is done using a colonoscope which is a flexible tube with a camera attached to it. This allows physicians to look inside the organ without doing any surgery. A colonoscopy is minimally invasive with minimal sedation required, and can be completed within 10 to 30 minutes.
The procedure helps to identify polyps that either are cancerous or could potentially turn cancerous. These polyps are then removed and the patient’s care is expedited. To schedule a colonoscopy, contact the Gastro Health Partners location nearest you today.
Watch the full episode of Dr. Abdul Jabbar on Baptist Health Floyd’s Heath Topics here:
Dr. Abdul Jabbar joined Gastroenterology of Southern Indiana in 2006. He earned his medical degree from Nishtar Medical College in Pakistan. For one year he served as Research Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia before completing his Internal Medicine Internship and Residency at Columbia University teaching program in Summit, New Jersey. He received his dual Fellowship training in Gastroenterology & Hepatology at the University of Louisville, followed by additional training in hepatology and endoscopic ultrasound. Prior to moving to Southern Indiana, Dr. Jabbar served as Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Department of Gastroenterology at the University of Louisville. Dr. Jabbar is board certified in both Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology.
