For patients

What is colonoscopy and endoscopy, and why have one?

A colonoscopy is an examination of the large bowel, or the last 1.5 m of your digestive tract, comprising the colon and rectum. When people mention bowel cancer, what they really mean is “large” bowel cancer, also known as colorectal cancer.


A colonoscopy can be used to look for cancer of the bowel cancer or colon polyps, which are growths on the lining of the colon that can sometimes be cancerous or may grow to be cancerous.

An endoscopy is an examination of the top end, the upper part of your gastrointestinal tract, specifically your oesophagus, stomach and the first part of your small bowel, known as the duodenum.

The reasons for having an endoscopy are varied, but include to investigate heartburn, diarrhoea, peptic ulcers, coeliac disease, and exclude important cancers such as oesophageal and gastric cancer.

We perform colonoscopies and endoscopies individually or together in a day hospital. Adding an endoscopy to a colonoscopy, if needed, does not require any additional preparation.

99 percent

99%of bowel cancer cases can be treated successfully if they are detected early.


Don’t ignore the signs and symptoms. It could cost your life. Bowel cancer screening. Let’s get it done.

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Early detection saves lives

Colonoscopy and endoscopy – it could be the most important thing you do this year. Let’s get it done.

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