The month of March is usually a time to search for pots of gold while having too much to drink and suffering from recurring bouts of Spring Fever. Rarely does one think of what the month has been set aside to bring awareness to- those two big scary C words; Colorectal Cancer.
Colon cancer typically affects older adults, though it can happen at any age, often initially presenting with no symptoms to the sufferer.
The American Cancer Society says Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in American men and the fourth leading cause in American women. In another sobering statistic, the lifetime risk of developing colorectal cancer is estimated to be about 1 in 24 for men and 1 in 26 for women.
Colorectal cancer typically begins as a growth of cells in a part of the large intestine called the colon. The large intestine is the last part of our digestive system, and the colon is the first and longest part of the large intestine. The colon absorbs water and some nutrients from the foods we eat, and also changes leftover waste products into stool.
Most people with polyps will not have any symptoms so gastroenterologists recommend having at least one colonoscopy exam done every ten years. In addition to colonoscopies, stool samples, and as of 2024, a blood test can now be conducted to detect signs of the cancer.
The US Preventive Services Task Force recommends most adults aged 45 to 75 be screened for colorectal cancer. This is a change from previous guidelines which suggested screening begin at age 50. For those between the ages of 76 and 85, the task force recommends the screening decision be an individual one, as older patients often have more risk factors to consider when deciding to undergo medical procedures.
Though for many people there are no initial symptoms, the following is a list put together by gastroenterologists of some warning signs to keep an eye out for when it come to your digestive health;
•A feeling that you need to have a bowel movement that’s not relieved by having one.
•Rectal bleeding with bright red blood.
•Blood in the stool, which might make the stool look dark brown or black
•Cramping or abdominal (belly) pain
•Weakness and fatigue
•Unintended weight loss
•Bleeding from the rectum
•Change in stool color, either red or black
•Change in bowel movement, either prolonged constipation or diarrhea
•Low red blood cell count due to low iron (iron deficiency anemia)
These symptoms can be due to other causes, like from the foods we eat, medicines we take, or any other underlying medical conditions we may have. But, if these symptoms are present, you might want to consider making time to have a chat with your doctor.
Should the worse happen and colon cancer develop, there are many treatments to control it, though there is currently no confirmed cure. Treatment options include surgery, radiation therapy and medicines, such as chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy.