Savvy senior

Dear Savvy Senior,

Are there any easier alternatives to a colonoscopy to check for colon cancer? I’m in my sixties and would like to be tested, but hate the idea of drinking all that laxative solution, and being sedated for the procedure.

Squeamish Jim

Dear Jim,

It’s a great question. While a colonoscopy is considered the gold standard screening test for detecting colon cancer and is widely recommended once adults reach age 50, only about half of Americans who have passed that milestone ever get tested.

Why? Because most people, like yourself, dread the all-day laxative prep and sedation, not...