katyzzzCould Colon Cancer screening save your life?
April 21st 2008 07:11
Could Colon Cancer Screening Save Your Life?
Written by RealAge, Inc., peer-reviewed by Dr. Axel Goetz, July 2004
If you were about to walk through a minefield, would you let fear or embarrassment stop you from accepting a map that revealed the location of the live munitions? Doubtful. Yet, regrettably, many people don't take advantage of an opportunity to avoid a minefield of the body's own making even though they have the ability to obtain life-saving information about it. Colon cancer is a potentially devastating, often silent-lurking disease that medical technology not only can help to identify but also potentially cure. The catch is that people need to take advantage of the opportunity to catch this killer in the early stages, when it is most treatable.
The reasons many people fail to initiate a dialogue with their doctors about their colon health are not completely understood. Some might be embarrassed. Some may be afraid. Still others may be unaware of or confused about their own risk or need for testing.
A reluctance to be screened may have helped to make colon cancer one of the most common causes of cancer death in certain countries.
Which questions are you too afraid or embarrassed to ask? Read on to learn answers to some of the most difficult and important questions RealAge members have asked about colon health.
Q: My spouse was diagnosed with colon polyps. Does this mean my spouse is going to get colon cancer?
A: No, colon polyps do not mean that cancer is destined to develop in the colon.
Polyps are small, painless tissue growths that can form in the colon for reasons that are not clear. Most polyps are benign and in their present form are not a threat to health.
However, some colon polyps can turn cancerous, or malignant, and malignant tumors in the colon are life threatening.
Keep in mind, however, that most polyps do not develop into colon cancer. Furthermore, polyps that have been detected in the colon can be removed, eliminating the possibility that a particular polyp will turn cancerous.
Q: I found blood in my stool. Is this a sign of colon cancer?
A: Possibly, but it's just as likely due to some other, less serious cause.
One of the main reasons colon cancer may be such a common killer is that, unfortunately, it can have few or no symptoms, especially in the early stages of the disease when it is most treatable.
Both benign polyps and malignant polyps may cause few or no symptoms. When colon cancer does cause symptoms, these symptoms may take the form of diarrhea, constipation, or narrowing of the stool as the tumor begins to interfere with bowel function. Typically, these symptoms would last for more than a few days. A tumor in the colon also may cause people to feel like they have to go, and the sensation is not relieved by a movement. Bleeding or blood in the stool and abdominal pain or cramping can be other signs of colon cancer.
However, all of the previously mentioned symptoms also can be the result of far less dangerous health problems, such as hemorrhoids or irritable bowel syndrome, so having these symptoms does not mean that a person has colon cancer. In fact, these symptoms are more likely to be due to a condition other than colon cancer.
Screening is the only way to know whether colon cancer is a possibility. Make an appointment with your healthcare provider if you have any nagging concerns.
Q: Should I be screened for colon cancer?
A: Assessing your own personal risk factors for colon cancer is one of the first steps in deciding whether colon cancer screening is right for you. A review of your risk factors can help your doctor determine your needs. In the absence of any worrisome symptoms, your need for colon cancer screening depends largely upon your risk of
Recent research has revealed that aspirin may be protective against colon cancer.
Ask your doctor whether regular aspirin use is safe and appropriate for you.
colon cancer. Your risk generally increases with age, but at any age there are persons with high and low colon cancer risk, depending on the presence of other risk factors.
Your risk of developing colon cancer may be higher if you have:
• an inflammatory bowel disease, such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease [Note: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) does not appear to increase colon cancer risk]
• a history of colon polyps
• been diagnosed with other cancers
• a family history of hereditary cancers
• a family or personal history of colon cancer
If you have none of these risk factors, your risk of colon cancer is lower than average.
Q: When should I begin getting screened for colon cancer?
A: Together with age, the previously mentioned risk factors for colon cancer are important in determining colon cancer risk and when screening should begin.
Assess your need for screening: Choose the statement below that best describes you to find out what your doctor's cancer screening recommendation might be as a result of your age and other risk factors:
I am over age 50 and have no other known risk factors for colon cancer.
I am over age 50 and have other known risk factors for colon cancer.
I am under age 50 and have no known risk factors for colon cancer.
I am under age 50 and have known risk factors for colon cancer.
Well, do take these warnings seriously, won't you?
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