It was a routine colonoscopy for Ken Senatore. The Franklin Park resident, 59, was diagnosed at age 36 with ulcerative colitis, a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that causes irritation and ulcers in the large intestine. His doctor, Jan Ravi, MD, a gastroenterologist at UPMC Passavant and Gastroenterology Associates of Pittsburgh–UPMC, recommended regular colonoscopies every three or four years after his initial diagnosis of the disease because patients with ulcerative colitis have an increased risk of developing colorectal cancer. One of the most important tools for preventing cancer is a colonoscopy. In this procedure, a small camera is used to examine the colon. Ken would travel to the UPMC Passavant–McCandless Gastrointestinal Center for his colonoscopies, which are the most common gastrointestinal (GI) procedures performed at the hospital. Ken’s daily life had not drastically changed with his diagnosis, and he only dealt with a few flareups. He took a low-dose maintenance dru...