Get screened for colon cancer

Colon cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death in the United States, but why is it so deadly? A big reason is that it often causes no symptoms, or the symptoms can be easily ignored until the tumor has progressed and spread to other parts of the body.

The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) offers guidelines for colon cancer screening. Previously, they recommended screening for all adults aged 50 to 75. Recently, they lowered the bottom of the age range to 45 in recognition of an increase in cases among adults under age 50.

The best screening test is one that someone is willing to take. Personally, I think the best test is a colonoscopy. I have had several and performed thousands in my clinical career. It not only screens for cancer but also detects small growths called polyps, which can then be removed. Some polyps have the potential to grow into cancer. Removing them lowers your future risk.

Not everyone will agree to having a colonoscopy as a screening. I get it. So, what else can be done? There are several tests that will examine everything from a small stool sample collected in your home bathroom to an entire stool sample. The tests look for blood in the stool or flecks of tissue from cancerous or precancerous growths. If these are positive, it is essential that you have a follow-up colonoscopy to find a tumor, should one exist.

Trick question: What is the first symptom of colon cancer? Answer: Possibly nothing at all. If you wait until you have symptoms, you may wait too long.

The colon is a tube for reabsorbing water. Liquid waste enters the tube in the lower-right abdomen by the appendix. As the waste travels up the right side, across the upper abdomen and down the left side, water is removed, leaving solid waste as the final product. A left-sided lesion may narrow the stool enough to notice the difference and prompt you to seek medical attention. But many tumors are on the right side and cause no visible change in the stool. Colonoscopies can find problems anywhere in the colon.

We are seeing younger people in the United States who have colon cancer. They are too young to qualify for screening and may think their symptoms are coming from another benign problem. If you know someone age 25-45 who is experiencing unusual abdominal pain or a change in their typical stool pattern, encourage them to see their healthcare provider. And don’t be afraid to be assertive. It is important that the provider be certain the symptoms and signs are not those of an early and unexpected tumor.