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Colorectal Cancer Awareness Q&A
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Q: What is colorectal cancer and how can it be stopped?
A: Have you ever heard the expression “silent but deadly”? This form of cancer silently grows in the colon and/or rectum – eventually spreading to the liver, lungs and abdominal cavity before the victim begins to feel any symptoms. Men and women are at equal risk, and family history of colorectal cancer is important, but uncommon, among most patients. The best way to stop colon cancer is by preventing it in the first place.
Q: How common is colorectal cancer?
A: An estimated 145,000 people will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer this year. Because colorectal cancer symptoms oft en appear late in the disease, most are diagnosed after it has spread, and nearly half of people diagnosed with colorectal cancer will die from it. It is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States.
Q: What is a colorectal screening and how does it work?
A: Screening for colorectal cancer first involves asking your doctor for a referral for a colonoscopy. If you are age 50 or older, or if you are younger than 50 but have a family history of colorectal cancer, you should be screened. For the patient, preparation is more difficult than the test itself, since you sleep through the test. To prepare for a screening, you drink a liquid that cleanses the bowel, a medication is administered to allow you to sleep through the procedure, and then a small, flexible fiber-optic video camera is passed around the colon. If you have a polyp, it will be removed immediately and painlessly. This will prevent the progression to colorectal cancer.
Q: What are the risk factors for developing colorectal cancer?
A: Primary risk factors for colorectal cancer include age (older than age 50 is considered higher risk), first-order family history of colorectal cancer (i.e., parents, siblings or children) and health conditions that increase risk, especially ulcerative or Crohn’s colitis. Other risk factors, such as diet, are less well-defined. There are also rare familial genetic syndromes that carry a high risk for colorectal as well as other forms of cancer.
Q: When and how should I be tested?
A: Everyone should discuss colorectal cancer screening tests with their primary care physician as part of a general health checkup. If you have additional questions or concerns, you can contact a gastroenterologist or go to the American Gastroenterological Association Web site, www.gastro.org, for the latest guidelines. The current “gold standard” test for colorectal cancer screening is colonoscopy.
Q: What are the symptoms of colorectal cancer?
A: The typical symptoms of colorectal cancer can be, but do not necessarily include: a change in bowel habits; blood in or on the stool; diarrhea, constipation or the feeling of an inability to evacuate stool; smaller caliber stools; weight loss for no obvious reason; generalized abdominal discomfort, bloating or fullness; constant fatigue; or vomiting. Th ere also may be no symptoms; that is why it is important to get screenings starting at age 50, or sooner if there is a family history.
Q: What else can I do to prevent colorectal cancer?
A: Screening starting at age 50 via a colonoscopy, or younger if there is a family history of colorectal cancer or polyps, is the best line of defense. However, eating a variety of healthful foods that are low in fat, protein and calories; exercising regularly; limiting alcohol consumption and not using tobacco are all important in reducing your personal risk.
For More Information
To learn more about colorectal cancer awareness, screenings and treatment options, please call INTEGRIS Oncology Services:
INTEGRIS Troy & Dollie Smith Cancer Center: (405) 943-4673
INTEGRIS Central Oklahoma Cancer Center: (405) 636-7860
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INTEGRIS Oncology Services
Troy & Dollie Smith Cancer Center
(405) 943-4673 Central Oklahoma Cancer Center
(405) 636-7860 |
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