Beat Colorectal Cancer! It's Preventable, and Treatable if Detected Early
SIOUX FALLS (March 8, 2010) - It's the cancer no one likes to talk about, yet colorectal cancer is one of the most preventable cancers - and most treatable, if detected early.
March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month to emphasize the importance of regular screening, a healthy lifestyle and expert clinical care in preventing colorectal cancer deaths.
While colon cancer screenings are just as important as regular pap smears or mammograms for women over age 50, many tend to put them off. Research shows that up to 60 percent of South Dakotans over age 50 have never received the recommended colon screenings.
As the third most common cancer in both men and women, an estimated 147,000 new cases were diagnosed in 2009. After lung cancer, colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer deaths, with an estimated 50,000 deaths annually. The CDC estimates that as many as 60 percent of colorectal cancer deaths could be prevented if everyone age 50 and older were screened regularly.
Stop cancer before it starts
Colon screenings are recommended beginning at age 50, when doctors can spot and remove polyps that may eventually become cancerous. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 90 percent of cases are diagnosed in people over 50. Earlier screening is recommended for people who have a family history of colorectal cancer.
Screening guidelines call for one of the following: a colonoscopy every 10 years, a flexible sigmoidoscopy or barium enema every five years, CT colonography (virtual colonoscopy) every five years or fecal occult blood tests every year. Colonoscopy is often a top recommendation, because it examines the entire colon, and polyps can be removed at the same time the test is performed.
"Many colon cancers come from small polyps which, over a span of 10 years, can develop into colon cancer," said Dr. Cristina Hill Jensen, gastroenterologist with Avera Gastroenterology Clinic of Sioux Falls. According to the American College of Gastroenterology, detecting and removing polyps in their precancerous stage can prevent up to 90 percent of colorectal cancers from ever developing. Having a colonoscopy every 10 years will in most cases catch polyps before they have a chance to become malignant. In fact, the American Cancer Society reports that incidence of colorectal cancer has decreased over the past two decades thanks to removal of precancerous polyps.
Women may be prone to put off a colonoscopy due to fear of pain or embarrassment. Dr. Hill Jensen said sedative medications make the procedure itself very comfortable. In fact, many patients wake up after it's over and don't realize the test has even taken place. The aspect patients probably dislike the most is colon prep for the test, which involves drinking liquid laxative the night before the exam to cleanse the colon.
During colonoscopy, a doctor gently moves a long, lighted tube with a tiny camera through the entire colon. The doctor can see the inside of the colon on a viewing screen. If polyps are found, the doctor can remove the polyps immediately with a special tool attached to the colonosope, eliminating the worry that these polyps might turn into cancer.
In addition to getting regular screenings, you can lower your risk of colorectal cancer.
-Eat a diet low in red meat and high in fruits and vegetables
-Get plenty of physical activity
-Don't smoke
-Maintain a healthy weight
-If you drink, drink in moderation
Treat it early
Even if a polyp becomes malignant - if the malignancy is found in an early stage - the cancer is very treatable surgically. When detected at an early stage, the five-year survival rate of colorectal cancer is 90 percent. Colorectal cancer that has spread beyond the colon to lymph nodes or other organs may require additional treatment of chemotherapy and radiation.
Most colon cancers are slow-growing and can be detected long before symptoms arise. However, people should see their doctor if they experience any of these symptoms:
-A change in stool patterns, such as diarrhea or constipation
-A feeling that your bowel is not completely empty after a bowel movement
-Bright red or very dark blood in your stools
-Stools that are narrower than usual
-Frequent gas pains or cramps; feeling full or bloated
-Nausea or vomiting
-Frequent fatigue
-Unexplained weight loss
Although abdominal pain is also a symptom, colorectal cancer does not usually cause pain in the early stages, so don't wait to feel pain to see a doctor if you are experiencing the above symptoms.
Evidence-based care
In light of all the treatment options available, cancers today require a multidisciplinary approach. At the Avera Cancer Institute, gastrointestinal (GI) cancer cases are reviewed at a Digestive Disease conference by a team including gastroenterologists, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, pathologists, radiologists and surgeons. Doctors at this conference converse about each individual patient, collaborate in making treatment recommendations based on the latest medical evidence, and design a recommended plan of care, making sure all the pieces of the puzzle fit together for the patient's best benefit.
Patients then work with GI navigator Jessica Morrell, CNP. "I am their central point of contact," Morrell said. Cancer patients see multiple health providers, from their primary care provider to a surgeon to a oncologists.
Everything Avera does is centered on the patient, and that's why the Avera Cancer Institute has developed navigator programs for different types of cancer, including breast and GI. The navigator helps patients understand their diagnosis, and focus on treatment decisions each step along the way. Navigators also put patients in touch with support services available to them.
"My job is to help cancer patients navigate the system - to make sure they're not missing any referrals or services outlined in the plan of care," Morrell said. "I help facilitate the individualized plan, so patients receive technologically advanced treatment in a timely manner."
To learn more about colorectal cancer and other health topics, go to click on "health library" at the top of the web page. To learn more about cancer prevention and treatment, go to www.AveraCancer.org.
