DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m a 78-year-old male with a history of high blood pressure, and I had a bovine aortic valve replacement in 2009. I had a negative colonoscopy in 2003, but in 2013, my colonoscopy required a polypectomy of a 3-mm tubular adenoma. In 2019, my colonoscopy was negative again. I’m concerned with the risks involved in repeat colonoscopies. What is your opinion?

— J.G.

ANSWER: The usual recommendation would be to consider a repeat colonoscopy in 2029, when you would be about 82. This is an age where you could decide to stop having colonoscopies, but if you were my patient, I would probably advise you to consider another colonoscopy again, given your history of a tubular adenoma. This is a condition that can progress to colon cancer over the years.

You are right that there are

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