Whew! A tour of the American College of Gastroenterology’s website to learn more about colorectal cancer can be a real eye-opener!
Despite the information overload, it’s a tour worth taking, especially if -- like me -- you have a first-degree relative who has suffered through colorectal cancer.
Here are 10 important items I learned and which are worth sharing in the interest of Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, every March:
1. Cancer of the colon and/or rectum is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths behind lung cancer. Yet if polyps on the colon are caught early through routine screenings, the cancer can be prevented.
2. Colorectal cancer most commonly occurs after age 50, but it can strike at younger ages. The risk of developing colorectal cancer increases with age.
3. Among those considered at a higher than average risk for colorectal cancer are those with a previous diagnosis of colon polyps, those with a family history of the disease, and those with inflammatory bowel disease or another chronic digestive condition.
4. Screening guidelines from the ACG call for a colonoscopy every 10 years as the preferred method of cancer prevention.
5. A relatively new annual test called fecal immunochemical testing (FIT) is available, which detects blood hidden in the stool. A positive test leads to a colonoscopy.
6. If you can’t stand the idea of a colonoscopy, get over it! Well, that’s a bit harsh. Ask your doctor about alternatives such as flexible sigmoidoscopy, “virtual colonoscopy” through CT scans, and fecal DNA testing. Chances are, though, your doctor will recommend a colonoscopy anyway.
7. While routine colonoscopies begin at age 50 for most individuals, age 45 is the recommendation for African-Americans. That comes out of recent studies finding a higher incidence of colorectal cancer among African-Americans. Also, compared with other ethnic groups, blacks are diagnosed with colorectal cancer at a younger age and die from it at higher rates.
8. It makes sense to let a gastroenterologist perform your colonoscopy, rather than a primary care physician. Gastroenterologists have higher levels of training in the procedure. Studies show that they are less likely to miss cancer during the screening and that under their care, you have fewer chances for complications like tears or holes in the colon.
9. Before your colonoscopy, follow the directions for bowel preparation to the letter. You might feel like you are “cleaned out” but, as my relative found out, improper preparation will mean that the doctor will send you home and you will have to attempt the bowel preparation all over again at a later time.
10. Colonoscopy is not painful because doctors use “intravenous sedation” or “twilight sedation” to make you drowsy and unaware of the proceedings. You are done before you know it.
Another excellent site to learn more about colorectal cancer risks and screening is FamilyPLZ.org, affiliated with a number of health organizations. There you will find links to:
- “My Family Health Portrait” from the U.S. Surgeon General’s office.
- A long list of questions to ask yourself as you assess your colorectal cancer risk. The list is from FightColorectalCancer.org.
- The consumer-friendly guide “What are the Risk Factors for Colorectal Cancer?” from the American Cancer Society.
- A Family Health Tree available for free download from the Colon Cancer Alliance.
Sources:
“Colorectal Cancer.” American College of Gastroenterology. Web. 5 March 2012. http://patients.gi.org/topics/colorectal-cancer
“Family PLZ!” Colorectal Cancer Awareness. Web. 5 March 2012. http://familyplz.org/resources
Reviewed March 6, 2012
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith