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Colorectal Cancer Screenings Help Save Lives
Colorectal Cancer
Symptoms
The following are some symptoms of
colorectal cancer. In most cases, these
symptoms are due to less serious causes.
However, it is important to talk to your
doctor if you experience any of the
following, especially for more than
two weeks:
- Diarrhea or constipation
- Feeling that your bowel does not empty completely
- Blood in your stool
- Narrow stools
- Bloating, gas and cramps
- Unexplained weight loss
- Fatigue
- Nausea or vomiting
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as many as 60% of deaths from colorectal cancer could be prevented if everyone age 50 and over had regular screenings. Yet fewer than half of American adults over age 50 have been screened.*
Why Get Screened?
Screenings can detect precancerous polyps—abnormal growths in the colon or rectum—that can be removed before invasive cancer develops. The American Cancer Society suggests that individuals age 50 and over follow one of these five screening schedules. However, your doctor may recommend a different schedule based on your personal risk factors.- Fecal occult blood test (FOBT) or fecal immunochemical test (FIT) every year. These simple tests look for blood in the stool.
- Flexible sigmoidoscopy every five years. The doctor uses a lighted tube called a sigmoidoscope to look inside the colon.
- Combination of annual FOBT or FIT and sigmoidoscopy every five years.
- Double-contrast barium enema every five years. This involves an enema with a barium solution and air pumped into the rectum, after which X-rays of the rectum and colon are taken.
- Colonoscopy every 10 years. The rectum and entire colon are examined using a long, lighted tube called a colonoscope. The patient is sedated during the procedure.
In addition, your physician should perform a digital rectal exam as part of your routine physical examination to feel for abnormal lumps.
Who Is at Risk?
Anyone can get colorectal cancer, but it is far more common among people over age 50. Other risk factors include:- Presence of polyps. Although often benign, these growths can become cancerous.
- Poor lifestyle choices. Studies suggest that smoking and high-fat diets increase the risk of colorectal cancer.
- Family or personal history. Individuals who have already had colorectal cancer or who have close relatives who have had cancer of the colon or rectum are at greater risk than the general population.
- Certain medical conditions. Digestive disorders such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease are associated with increased risk.
- Genetic factors. Certain gene mutations
predispose individuals to colorectal cancer.
Embarrassment Is No Excuse
In the United States colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths, after lung cancer.** With early detection and treatment, the five-year survival rate is 90%, but due to low screening rates, only about 40% of colorectal cancers are found early.*Embarrassment shouldn’t prevent you from protecting your health. If you are age 50 or older, or if you have other risk factors for colorectal cancer, talk to your doctor about screening options.
| * | Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, www.cdc.gov. |
| ** | Source: American Cancer Society, www.cancer.org. |
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