Colon Cancer: Detectable and Preventable!
March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month - Are you at risk?
We’ve all heard the saying “Prevention is the best medicine!,” in the case of colon cancer this rings true. Colorectal cancer – commonly known as colon cancer – is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Colorectal cancer affects both men and women of all racial and ethnic groups, and is most often found in people aged 50 years or older. While one of the leading causes of cancer deaths, it is also one of the most detectable and thus, preventable forms of cancer. “Colorectal cancer screening saves lives. Screening can find precancerous polyps – abnormal growths in the colon or rectum – so that they can be removed before turning into cancer. Screening also helps find colorectal cancer at an early stage, when treatment often leads to a cure,” says Bavikatee Shivakumar, M.D. Gastroenterology Clinic of the Quad Cities.
Knowing the risk for colon cancer and getting tested are important steps to early detection of colon cancer
People with certain risk factors are more likely than others to develop colorectal cancer. These risk factors include:
- Age over 50 o Having had colorectal polyps or colorectal cancer before
- Having a history of inflammatory bowel disease, specifically, ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s Disease,
- A first degree family history of colorectal cancer or colon polyps
- A past history of other types of cancer
If you meet any of these risk factors, talk with your doctor about your screening options. If you are under age 50 and fall into the above categories, most insurance companies will cover a screening colonoscopy.
“Knowing the risk for colon cancer and getting tested are important steps to early detection of colon cancer,” says Dr. Shivakumar. The American Cancer Society emphasizes the importance of a regular screening program that includes annual fecal occult blood tests (FOBT), periodic partial or full colon exams, or both. Leaders in the field have estimated that, with widespread adoption of these screening practices, as many as 30,000 lives could be saved each year. So this March take the time to talk with your doctor about colon cancer, it might save your life.
