Alternatives to colonoscopy may help beat "fear of the rear"

Colonoscopy
Accuracy: About 93 percent
Cost: Expensive, but covered by insurance
Risk: Low risk of bleeding, bowel perforation or infection
Frequency: Once every 10 years, or as determined by your physician

+ surgeon can view entire colon 
+ polyps can be removed and biopsied during procedure 
+ can diagnose other diseases

- requires special pre-test diet and bowel preparation 
- sedation means you may miss a day of work

Stool DNA test (e.g. Cologuard^®)
Accuracy: About 92 percent, but may miss many polyps and some cancers; may produce false positive
Cost: about $500-$600; covered by Medicare; some other insurance programs do not yet cover
Risk: No direct risk to bowel
Frequency: Once every three years

+ sampling performed at home 
+ no diet restrictions before test
+ non-invasive

- if abnormal, will require a colonoscopy

Fecal immuno-chemical test (FIT)
Accuracy: about 74 percent, but may miss many polyps and some cancers; may produce false positives
Cost: Relatively inexpensive
Risk: No direct risk to bowel
Frequency: once a year; a flexible sigmoidoscopy procedure should also be performed once every five years

+ sampling performed at home 
+ no diet restrictions before test
+ non-invasive

- if abnormal, will require a colonoscopy

Fecal occult blood test (FOBT)
Accuracy: Least accurate but better than no screening; may miss many polyps and some cancers; may produce false positives
Cost: Inexpensive
Risk: No direct risk to bowel
Frequency: once a year; a  flexible sigmoidoscopy procedure should also be performed once every five years

+ sampling performed at home 
+ non-invasive 
+ restricted diet before test 

- if abnormal, will require a colonoscopy