March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month

Colorectal cancer of the colon or rectum is a disease that affects women and men, it is preventable nearly ninety percent of the time. Men and women who are hitting the age of fifty are at average risk for the disease and should be tested. Some African-Americans typically develop colorectal cancer at younger ages and should be tested earlier. Testing is done by the way of fecal occult blood test, flexible sigmoidoscopy, and colonoscopy. This is critical because colorectal cancer often occurs with no symptoms.

In the later stage of the disease symptoms may include frequent gas pains, weight loss, vomiting, bright red blood around or on the stool, rectal bleeding, constant fatigue, constipation, diarrhea, and stomach discomfort. It is best if you are experiencing some of these symptoms that you seek medical attention immediately.

Colorectal cancer strikes about one hundred and fifty thousand people and causes fifty two thousand deaths each year. Colon cancer is the second most common cause of death from cancer in the United States. Colon cancer begins as a little growth in the lining of the colon and rectum called a polyp. Not all polyps become cancer, but for all practical purposes all cancers begin as polyps. Colorectal cancer can be prevented and screening for the disease can identify polyps which are grape-sized growths in the colon and, or rectum. These polyps can be removed to prevent cancer from developing. It is best to be tested for colon cancer if there is a family history of it.

Screening for colon cancer can be done in many ways. One way is flexible sigmoidscopy which allows a thin, flexible tube to be passed into the rectum and lower colon. It allows your doctor to search for abnormalities. A double-contrast barium enema requires an x-ray examination and allows a radiologist to view the entire colon. Fecal occult blood test is a simple at-home procedure for checking your stool sample for hidden blood. Last and the most common way is having a colonoscopy. This is similar to the sigmoidscopy except the colonoscope is long enough to view the entire colon.

When most people hear about being tested for possible colon cancer, they seem to shy off and say they are more afraid of what their doctor may find. When polyps are caught in their early stage they can be removed, and therefore save your life from possibly being diagnosed with colon cancer. If it is left alone, it is possible it will become cancer. It would be better off to catch this early than to wait because your afraid of what your doctor might find.