COLORECTAL CANCER
March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and the Cancer Prevention and
Research Foundation wants to spread the message “Colorectal Cancer is Preventable,
Treatable, and Beatable!!” Here is some basic information on colorectal cancer.
The colon is the part of the digestive system where the waste material is stored. The colon
and rectum form a long muscular tube called the large intestine (also known as the large bowel).
The rectum is the end of the colon adjacent to the anus. Colorectal cancer is cancer of the
colon and/or cancer of the last 8 to 10 inches of the colon.
Most cases of colon cancer begin as small, noncancerous clumps of cells called polyps.
Most noncancerous polyps produce no symptoms, do not invade nearby tissue or spread to
other parts of the body, and can be easily removed during a colonoscopy. If benign polyps are
not removed from the large intestine, they can become cancerous over time. Most of the cancer
of the large intestines is believed to have developed from polyps. Colorectal cancer is the
second-leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. Improvements in screening tests
and treatment options over the past decade have made this disease highly curable and often
preventable with recommended screening and early detection.
Both men and women are at risk of developing colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer usually
occurs in people 50 or older, but younger individuals can also get this disease. You have more
risk of developing colorectal cancer if you have the following:
Diet high in red or processed meats or inadequate in fruits and vegetables
Obesity, cigarette smoking, physical inactivity, heavy alcohol consumption
Personal or family history of colorectal polyps or cancer
Personal history of inflammatory bowel disease
Personal or family history of an inherited genetic cancer
African-American or Ashkenazi Jewish descent
You can reduce your risk of developing colorectal cancer by following these
recommendations:
Change your lifestyle to support your health. Stop smoking. Use alcohol only in
moderation. Eat a diet high in fruits, vegetables and fiber and low in fats and red or
processed meats. Regular use of aspirin, oral folic acid, and calcium supplements has
been found to reduce the risk of colorectal polyps and cancer. Antioxidant vitamins such
as vitamin C and beta carotene found in fruits and vegetables have been associated with
lower rates of colorectal cancer. Estrogen replacement therapy has also reduced risks
of colorectal cancer.
Get the recommended screening for this disease. It can help find colorectal cancer in its
early stages when you have a good chance for recovery. When this disease is detected
in its early, localized stages, the five year survival rate is 90 percent. Unfortunately,
fewer than 50 percent of people for whom colorectal cancer screening is recommended
are actually getting tested.
For women and men at average risk of colorectal cancer, the American Cancer Society
recommends one of the following screening options beginning at age 50:
Digital rectal exam and Fecal occult blood test annually.
1
Flexible sigmoidoscopy every five years
Double contrast barium enema every five years
Colonoscopy every 10 years
For people who are at higher or increased risk for colorectal cancer, screening may need to
begin at a younger age and be performed at more frequent intervals.
See your doctor if you develop any of the following signs and symptoms:
A change in your bowel habits, including diarrhea or constipation or a change in the
consistency of your stool for more than a couple of weeks
Narrow stools
Rectal bleeding or blood in your stool
Persistent abdominal discomfort, such as cramps, gas or pain
Abdominal pain with bowel movement
A feeling that your bowel does not empty completely
Unexplained weight loss
Anyone who experiences symptoms of colorectal cancer should see a physician for prompt
evaluation and diagnosis. If diagnosis of colorectal cancer is made, staging of the disease is
the next step. It means to evaluate the local and distant extent of the disease. It will provide a
framework for the doctor to outline the treatment options and to discuss the progress.
Depending on the result of biopsy and staging, the treatment will be surgery or radiation therapy
or chemotherapy or all. For people who have been diagnosed with colorectal cancer, recent
advances in treatment mean more hope for survival than ever before. Everyone needs to speak
with their primary care doctor about undergoing regular screening for colorectal cancer along
with their routine screening for other cancers.
Tai Duong, M.D., MPH, is a physician at the Highlands County Health Department
2