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After a Nova Scotia man received an abnormal result through the province’s home screening test for colon cancer, a follow-up colonoscopy revealed a large polyp in his rectum. Thanks to the expertise of Dr. Harrison Petropolis — gastroenterologist and director of the Advanced Polypectomy Program in Halifax — he was able to avoid major surgery through an innovative, minimally invasive procedure.
In a first for Atlantic Canada, Dr. Petropolis successfully performed a new procedure to remove the polyp.
Known as an endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), the procedure uses a flexible colonoscope equipped with a fine surgical instrument to carefully cut underneath and around the polyp, removing it in a single piece. This allows pathologists to confirm that the entire lesion has been removed.
Petropolis' motivation to pursue gastroenterology is deeply personal — he lost his mother to colon cancer while still an undergraduate student. That experience continues to drive his commitment to improving care for patients, and to detect and hopefully prevent cancer in others.
“In the past, if the polyp couldn’t be removed endoscopically, the patient would have required major surgery and general anesthesia,” said Petropolis. “This procedure also reduces how often patients need to return for follow-up colonoscopies — sometimes from three visits within three years down to just one every few years.”
The patient was able to watch the procedure in real-time and needed only minimal sedation. After a short observation period, he went home the same day.
“At follow up, we confirmed the margins around the polyp were completely clear. The procedure was a success, and the patient did fantastically well.”
Like many others, this patient had no symptoms to suggest something may be wrong. This highlights the critical role of the Colon Cancer Prevention Program, which uses simple mail-in stool tests to detect hidden blood, which can be an early sign of polyps or cancer.
“Colon cancer screening is extremely important,” said Petropolis. “Patients worry that colonoscopies are painful or scary, but with technological advancements, patients can be comfortable during their procedures and can be reassured that we have experts here in Nova Scotia delivering world-class care.”
The Colon Cancer Prevention Program mails home screening kits to all Nova Scotians aged 50 to 74 with the goal of preventing cancer or finding it early when treatment is most effective. This ultimately decreases the number of Nova Scotians being diagnosed with and dying from colon cancer. Nova Scotia has four organized cancer screening programs. Click to learn more.
Photo of (L-R) Patient and Dr. Harrison Petropolis.