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Colon cancer is the third most diagnosed cancer and the third leading cause of cancer death in the United States in both men and women. The positive news is that it is largely preventable.
As March is Colon Cancer Awareness month, it’s a great time to double check risk factors, symptoms and schedule a colonoscopy, if recommended by a physician.
Colon cancer is often initially asymptomatic, which is why screening and early detection are critical. “While the typical age at diagnosis is between 65 and 75, we are seeing an increase in younger patients,” says Matthew Ayo, MD, general surgeon with Sulphur Surgical Clinic. “In the past 30 years, colon cancer rates in patients under 55 years of age has doubled. Colonoscopy is considered the gold standard screening test because it is the most sensitive for identifying colon polyps and cancer. It also gives us the advantage of removing polyps at the same time as discovering them.”
Depending on the findings of your colonoscopy, your physician may recommend repeating the test as soon as one year later or as long as 10 years later.
Thanks to sedation, colonoscopies are painless, and most people don’t remember anything about the procedure. The prep the day before the procedure is what people usually dread, as it’s designed to clean your colon to allow for better visualization of polyps. “The prep that we now use is much easier on patients than before,” Dr. Ayo says. “Not only is it a smaller amount of liquid, but it has a much better taste and is all available over the counter.”
Symptoms of colon cancer include:
• Bloody or dark stools
• Changes in normal bowel habits
• Abdominal pain or cramping in lower stomach
• Unexpected weight loss
“The recommended age for adults to undergo their first screening colonoscopy is 45,” says Dr. Ayo. “If you have a family history of colon cancer, then you may need one even earlier than that. Individuals may not have any symptoms of colon cancer or have vague symptoms that can be easily ignored. When symptoms persist, often the disease is in its advanced stages. That’s why having a colonoscopy beginning at the recommended age is critical.”
While there are many factors that can increase your risk for colon cancer, there are some risk factors that are within one’s control. “Being overweight along with a lack of physical activity has a strong correlation to colon cancer,” says Dr. Ayo. “Cigarette smoking, heavy alcohol use and diets heavy in red meat or processed foods are also linked to an increased risk.”
Don’t delay your colonoscopy! It is one of the best tests for preventative care as we age.
CHRISTUS Imperial Calcasieu Surgical Center is opening two new endoscopy suites. These suites will be using brand new endoscopy systems by Fuji. All elements of the new endoscopy center will be designed around patient safety and comfort. They will also be utilizing AI to aid in the detection of colon polyps. AI has been shown to increase polyp detection rates by up to 10-15%. Each 1% increase in in the polyp detection rate decreases the risk of interval cancer by 3%. The Endoscopy Suites at CHRISTUS Imperial Calcasieu Surgical Center is the only facility in Southwest Louisiana offering AI assisted endoscopy.
