FUQUAY-VARINA, N.C., April 14, 2014 – Dr. Kurt Vernon, known locally as The GI Guy, was recently featured on Time Warner Cable News North Carolina. In a segment with anchorwoman Marti Skold, Vernon discussed the importance of colonoscopies and how new technology is improving detection and accuracy of colon cancer screenings.
While Vernon admitted that colon cancer incidents have been dropping slightly, he cited estimated that 140,000-to-150,000 people, including men and women, will be diagnosed with colon cancer annually. He also cited that as many as 50,000 will die of colon cancer annually.
Vernon illustrated the importance of receiving routine checks. The most common utilized detection practice—known as a colonoscopy—searches for polyps, which are lesions that can possibly develop into cancer.
“The colonoscopy is considered to be the gold standard for detection and prevention,” Vernon said.
However, Vernon also cited recent studies showing that colonoscopies only allow gastroenterologists to view an area of 170 degrees and have an industry accepted miss rate of up to 41 percent.
According to Vernon, a new technology—Full Spectrum Endoscopy™ (Fuse™)—developed by Atlanta-based EndoChoice® Inc., allow gastroenterologists to reduce miss rates to as little as eight percent and decrease the abnormal detection rate by as much as 71 percent. Skold acknowledged that Vernon’s practice is one of only five doctoral locations to be utilizing the Fuse™ technology.
“We’re one of the early adopters and here in the Triangle, there is no one else that has this technology,” Vernon said. “My office is in Fuquay-Varina and we also have another one in Dunn. We try to make it as easy as possible for people to get their colonoscopies.”
The segment coincided with March as Colon Cancer Awareness Month, which was established in 2000. Introduced four years later, the Blue Star, merged with a ribbon, has become synonymous with the fight against colon cancer.
Testing for colon cancer just got easier. If you don’t already know, Cologuard is a new competing technology for colon cancer screening that is simple and ease of use. It involves no prep, no sedation, and most importantly, its effective. What exactly is Cologuard? Cologuard is a cancer detection test. Specifically, it tests for genetic Read More…
The practice of Kurt Vernon, MD, The GI Guy, is proud to announce that we have received a ‘Tier 1 Designation”, a high quality recognition from one of the nation’s largest health insurers – Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC. BCBSNC Tiered Network utilizes administrative claims data to identify high quality, low cost providers and Read More…
