To the Editor:

Re “Bush Has 5 Polyps Removed in Colon Cancer Screening” (news article, July 22):

President Bush had several small polyps removed on Saturday, as he did in 1998 and 1999. In doing so, his physicians removed the chance that these polyps would go on to become colon cancer. They did this for him despite the fact that the polyps, presumably, did not cause Mr. Bush any symptoms.

Mr. Bush: one cannot get a preventive colonoscopy in the emergency room.

Margot Kushel, M.D.
San Francisco, July 22, 2007

Note from KBJ: There must be some point to this letter, but I can’t discern it.