Screen For Life
Colorectal cancer is 90%preventable …..So why is it the second leading cancer killer? I can tell you why, men and women once they hit 50 are not getting the recommended screenings. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) states.
“If everyone aged 50 years and older had regular screening tests, at least 60% of the deaths from this could be avoided.” Screening Saves Lives
Colorectal cancer usually starts from polyps in the colon or rectum. As time goes by polyps can turn into cancer. So if you are getting your screening done regularly polyps can be removed before they become cancerous. When they are found early the prognosis is good.
In the early stages when most preventable there may be no symptoms at all as you develop colon cancer. You could have no idea and colon cancer could be developing and growing within you. That is why having a screening test is so crucial.
So who gets Colorectal Cancer? Both men and women can get it. Most frequently found in adults over the age of 50, and the risks increase with age. Your risk factor will increase if you have a family relative that has had colorectal polyps or colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, or a genetic syndrome such as familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) or hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer. If you are at high risk speak with your physician about getting screened earlier.
I have a female friend that is 43 years old and has a family history of colon cancer. Her family physician recommended a simple non invasive take home test to detect blood in the stool. Sure enough they found some blood and did some further investigating with a colonoscopy. Polyps were found just before they had turn cancerous. Lucky for her it was caught early and she is now on an alternative screening schedule.
There are several tests that are available, speak with your physician to decide which is right for you. The colonoscopy is the most thorough in that it check the entire colon. I have had not one yet but I hear it is not as bad as one may think it is. However, I highly recommend the fecal ocult blood test annually.
I hope this friendly reminder helps to educate you and act as a push in the right direction. So next time someone you know and love turns 50 years old – forget the Over The Hill balloon and get them information regarding colon cancer. Screening is key to saving their life.
