My urologist, while doing a cystoscopy, did a rectal exam and found calcifications in my colon or rectum. He assured me these are not cancerous, but recommended that I get a sigmoidoscopy. How the doctor be sure these calcifications are not cancer or part of a cancerous process?

C.

Calcifications are collections of the mineral calcium that occur in various parts of the body. Various processes that can lead to calcification include healing of certain infections, aging (in which arteries and veins can calcify), kidney disease (in which the body's ability to handle calcium may be impaired) and certain metabolic diseases (in which too much calcium is present in the blood). Cancers can also calcify, probably due to inflammation and scarring.

Most calcifications are nodular or hard to the touch. This may be what your doctor felt on your exam. Based on this finding, you should get a sigmoidoscopy done. In this test, the doctor examines the inside lining of the rectum and the lower (sigmoid) colon through a flexible scope. The scope is usually inserted about two feet into the colon. Any abnormal findings can be photographed and biopsied.

There is no way to tell for sure that a calcification felt during a rectal exam is not cancerous until the tissue is viewed, biopsied and examined under a microscope.

If you are older than 50, you should consider having a full colonoscopy done for colon cancer screening. If you are under 50 and have no other symptoms related to the colon or other risk factors for colon cancer, then a sigmoidoscopy should suffice. You should discuss these options with your doctor.