Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month: Why regular screenings matter
March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, a time designed to raise awareness about the disease and encourage screening. Colorectal cancer is a cancer that starts either in the colon or the rectum. Because it often does not have any symptoms, most people won’t know they have it unless they get screened.
“Colon cancer is very treatable if found in early stages, and polyps or growths in the colon can be removed,” says Safina Koreishi, MD, MPH, Senior Medical Director, Clinical Services, CareOregon. When caught early, the 5-year survival rate for colon cancer is 90 percent.
Colorectal cancer facts
Here are the basic facts to know about this form of cancer:
- Colorectal cancer is the third-most common cancer in both men and women.
- Colorectal cancer is the second-most common type of cancer deaths in men and women combined.
- The average age of diagnosis is 68 years old.
- Most colorectal cancer doesn’t cause symptoms.
- If people do develop symptoms, the most common is blood in stools.
The importance of colorectal cancer screening
If you are low risk, meaning you have no family history of the disease, stool tests can be used to detect signs of early colon cancer. There are three types: The fecal occult blood test (FOBT) checks for small amounts of blood in the stool, the fecal immunochemical test (FIT) looks for hidden blood in the stool, and the FIT-DNA test detects altered DNA in the stool. These may be early evidence of polyps or cancer. Stool tests are done every 1-3 years, depending on the particular test. These are easy to use and have very low/no risk. If they are positive, though, you will need to get a colonoscopy.
Colon cancer screening is often done by undergoing a colonoscopy, a medical procedure that examines the entire large intestine—the colon—with a thin tube that has a camera, called a colonoscope. This is a great test to screen for polyps, which can also be removed at the same time. This test does require some preparation ahead of time and may have some risks. This is the best test if you are at higher risk, or it might be chosen as the best method by you and your doctor.
Other methods for screening include a sigmoidoscopy, which is similar to a colonoscopy: A doctor uses a thin tube with a camera, called a sigmoidoscope, to examine the colon. However, a sigmoidoscopy only examines the rectum and the sigmoid colon, the last 6-8 inches of the large intestine, not the entire colon.
During a colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy, a gastroenterologist will look for the presence of polyps, a small clump of cells that can form on the lining of the colon. While most polyps are harmless, over time, some can develop into colon cancer.
When should I get screened for colon cancer?
Because the risk of colon cancer is increasing, and happening at earlier ages, “the recommendation is to get screened for colorectal cancer starting at age 45. This is a change from previous recommendations, which was starting screening at age 50,” says Dr. Koreishi. If you have a family history of colon cancer, polyps or inflammatory bowel disease, your doctor will likely recommend that you start screening earlier.
From ages 45-75, general screening recommendations are:
- Stool test (FIT, FIT-DNA) done every 1-3 years depending on the test
- A colonoscopy every 10 years or
- A sigmoidoscopy every 5 years, with a stool test every 3 years.
Your personal screening or monitoring/follow up schedule may change if your doctor finds polyps during a test. “If something is found and treated, then the testing interval will change, and you should follow your doctor’s recommendations,” says Koreishi. Your personal screening is also affected by your family history.
After age 75, your doctor may suggest no longer screening for colon cancer, depending on your health.
How to get screened for colon cancer
If you need a screening or a test, contact your primary care provider (PCP). Or call CareOregon Customer Service at 503-416-4100, toll-free 800-224-4840 or TTY 711, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. You can also send us a secure message through our Member Portal at careoregon.org/portal
Colon cancer screening can offer you peace of mind that you are healthy, or if you do have polyps, that you are catching them early when they are easiest to treat. Colon cancer screening just might save your life!
Sources:
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/colon-rectal-cancer/about/key-statistics.html
https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/colorectal-cancer-screening