Colon Cancer Awareness: Early Detection Saves Lives

March is Colon Cancer awareness month. Colon Cancer is the 3rd leading cause of new cancer diagnosis in the United States. It is the 3rd leading cause of cancer deaths in males and 4th leading cause of death in females. Colon cancer happens when the colon cells mutate and start to grow out of control. Colon cancer has a known pathway where you develop a polyp that then undergoes more changes and eventually becomes a cancer. Signs and symptoms of colon cancer can vary but in general you can have bleeding, increasing constipation symptoms, thinning of the stools, and weight loss. These are generally later signs of colon cancer, and the cancer could have already spread to the lymph nodes and other organs by that time which makes it much more difficult to treat. A colon cancer that has spread to other organs would require chemotherapy and has a 13% survival rate at 5 years. Whereas an early-stage colon cancer that is localized to the colon has a 90% survival rate at 5 years and does not require chemotherapy.

 Dr. Christ in her element, doing what she loves most!

The good news is that a colonoscopy can find and remove polyps before they ever turn into a colon cancer and can diagnose a colon cancer at an early-stage, before any symptoms occur. Screening colonoscopies reduce your risk of death from colon cancer by two-thirds. A colonoscopy is a visual examination of the colon. Prior to the procedure you do a cleanse so that the wall of the colon is cleared out. The day prior to the colonoscopy you drink clear liquids such as apple juice and broth and take a laxative that clears the stool from the colon. We sedate you for the procedure which generally takes about 30 minutes. A colonoscope which is about the size of the index finger is inserted into the rectum. The scope has a light and camera on it to visualize the colon wall. It also has a channel to biopsy and remove polyps from the colon. As you get sedation for the procedure you need to have someone to drive you home. There may be a little cramping after the procedure as we introduce air into the colon during the procedure. By the following day you should be back to normal and able to do all activities.

Demonstrating how the colonoscope’s camera captures real-time visuals.

Colon cancer screening is recommended to start at the age of 45. This is a newer recommendation in the last 5 years as we are seeing more and more younger people being diagnosed with colon cancer. If you have an average risk for colon cancer, then it is recommended that you get screened every 10 years with a colonoscopy. According to the American Cancer Society screening should be done until a person is 75. From the age of 76-85 this should be individualized based on patients’ health and other factors that should be discussed with the person’s doctor.

Other screening options include stool-based tests such as FIT, fecal blood test, or a newer test that looks at DNA in the stool (Cologuard). The FIT and fecal blood tests should be done every year. The DNA test should be done every 3 years. These tests are for people who are average risk for colon cancer. If any of these tests are positive the next step is a colonoscopy. A colonoscopy is considered the gold standard for screening for colon cancer.

Comparing the colonoscope’s size—no larger than a finger.

Although the most important aspect of preventing or identifying colon cancer early is undergoing screening, there are other things you can do to help prevent colon cancer. Diets high in red meats, such as beef, have been linked to increased incidence of colon cancer. So eating diets that are low in red meats can decrease your risk of developing colon cancer. Also diets low in fiber are at increased risk of developing colon cancer. Diets that are high in fiber promote a healthy gut and dilute carcinogens (things that cause cancer). A high fiber diet is 30 grams of fiber intake daily. Good sources of fiber include beans, nuts, whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Fiber supplements are also available at the local grocery and can help you achieve the goal of 30 grams a day, most supplements provide about 4 grams of fiber per serving.

There are a lot of variables to when and how frequently a person should be screened for colon cancer. The above is general information, you should always talk with your doctor about your medical and family history to determine the right screening modality, frequency and before making changes to your diet. The General Surgeons at SLV Health did over 1,100 colonoscopies last year and are available to do yours.