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Welcome to Los Angeles Endoscopy Center !

The Los Angeles Endoscopy Center is a State of California certified and Medicare licensed endoscopic center specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of gastroenterologic ailments. Established in 1996, the Los Angeles Endoscopy Center is dedicated towards serving the endoscopic needs of patients residing in the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area. Endoscopic procedures that are performed at the state-of-art L.A. Endoscopy Center include upper endoscopy, colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, polypectomy, biopsy, dilatation, gastrostomy, and hemostasis.

The current Director of Los Angeles Endoscopy Center is Dr. Paul M. Choi, a board-certified gastroenterologist. He received his undergraduate degree from M.I.T. in Cambridge, MA where he graduated with top honors and was elected to the honor society, phi beta kappa. He obtained his medical education from the Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA where he was awarded highly coveted the John Harvard National Scholarship for full four years. He did his internal medicine training at the New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center and Sloan-Kettering Memorial Cancer Center in New York. Dr. Choi obtained his gastroenterology training at the Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center. After completing his formal medical training, he had spent additional years working on oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes at the Center for Cancer Reserach of the Columbia University. Dr. Choi served as an Associate Medical Staff at the Lahey Clinic in Burlington, MA and Director of Clinical Research in the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, CA. As a result, he is able to bring a very strong background in basic science and clinical research to the patient care. Dr. Choi has written extensively for peer-reviewed journals and book chapters, and spoke at numerous national gastroenterology conventions. As an active member of the American Gastroenterological Association, he has been recently elected as a Fellow of this prestious national association (F.A.G.A). He has previously served as clinical faculty at both the Harvard Medical School and UCLA School of Medicine.

The cancer of stomach remains the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. In fact, a recent report suggests that 27.5% of all cancer deaths among Koreans are due to gastric cancer. Furthermore, there is approximately 6 to 7% life-time risk of developing stomach cancer among Koreans. The risk of developing gastric cancer may be dependent on both environmental and genetic factors. Therefore, it is paramount that all possible known risk factors such as H.pylori infection that are known to increase the risk of developing gastric cancer be diagnosed early and appropriately treated. Additionally, since most studies indicate that the 5 year-survival for patients with gastric cancer still remains very low at approximately 30%, early detection and treatment remain the most optimal means of dealing with this important disease. Thus, patients with a high-risk ethnic background including individuals of Korean descent should undergo an annual endoscopic screening examination starting at the age of 40-50.

In the past 30 years, the incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) has more than doubled. In both men and women, it is the second most common cancer, most prevalent new cancer for the overall population, and the second leading cause of cancer death. In fact, the incidence of colorectal cancer has been rising recently, particularly among Asian patients who have migrated to the United States and have adopted western-style dietary habits. Fortunately, studies have shown that the risk related to the development and death from colorectal cancer can be mostly prevented with regular colon cancer screening examinations starting at age 50, with the judicious use of fecal occult blood testing, sigmoidoscopy, and colonoscopy.

We are very pleased to provide an open access colonoscopy for individuals who desire a very convenient, readily accessible, and relatively afforadable colonoscopy exam at a Medicare-Certified Surgery Center in the heart of downtown Los Angeles. Because of its rising demand, its defined role in extending one's longevity, as well as difficulty that many face due to lack of insurance coverage, we are very pleased to offer a web-special package for a complete colonoscopy for those individuals without insurance coverage!!! Please call to inquire about this current special.