Colorectal cancer is found in the colon or rectum. It is the
second leading cancer killer in the United States when the numbers are combined
for men and women. Screening can find precancerous polyps in the colon or
rectum that can be removed before they have a chance to turn into cancer.
Screening is also important to find existing colorectal cancer early when the
treatment works the best.
Colorectal cancer screening recommendations from the
American Cancer Society:
- Adults with an average risk start regular screening at age 45
- Done with either a sensitive stool-based test that looks for signs of cancer in a person’s stool or with an exam that visually looks at the colon or rectum
- People in good health with a life expectancy of more than 10 years should continue regular colorectal cancer screening through the age of 75
- Adults 76 to 85 years of age, the decision to be screened should be based on a person’s preferences, life expectancy, overall health and prior screening history
Colorectal cancer screening tests:
- Stool Tests
- There are 3 different stool tests to detect blood in the stool
- Guaic-based fecal occult blood test (gFOBT) – obtain a small amount of stool and return to the doctor or the laboratory. Stool samples are checked for blood. This can be done once a year.
- Fecal immunochemical test (FIT) – uses antibodies to detect blood in the stool. It can be done once a year and the same way as the gFOBT.
- FIT-DNA test (Colorgard®) – combines the FIT test with a test that detects altered DNA in the stool. Send the entire bowel movement to the lab where it is checked for blood. This is done every 3 years. Colorgard® may result in false positives for abnormal DNA markers that aren’t explained by subsequent colonoscopy findings.
- Flexible Sigmoidoscopy
- A short, thin, flexible lighted tube is put into your rectum. The doctors checks for polyps or cancer inside of the rectum and the lower third of the colon. It is done every 5 years or every 10 years with a FIT stool test every year.
- CT Colonography (virtual colonoscopy)
- Computed tomography uses x-rays and computers to produce images of the entire colon which are displayed on a computer screen for the physician to analyze. It is done every 5 years.
- Colonoscopy
- A colonoscopy is similar to the flexible sigmoidoscopy except the doctor uses a longer, thin, flexible lighted tube to check for polyps or cancer inside the rectum and the entire colon. During the test, the physician can remove most polyps and some cancers. The colonoscopy is also used as a follow-up test if anything unusual is found during one of the other screening tests. It is done every 10 years for people who do not have an increased risk of colorectal cancer.
- Colonoscopy
is considered the gold standard!
There are many tests and it may be hard to decide which one
works for you. Each test has advantages and disadvantages. Discuss this with
your health care provider. There are many variables including your personal
preference, medical conditions and problems that you may have, and a personal
and/or family history of colorectal cancer and polyps.
Risk factors you cannot change include:
- Being older (more common after age 50)
- Racial or ethnic background
- Having an inflammatory bowel disease like Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis
- Inherited syndromes caused by gene changes
Risk factors you may be able to change:
- Having type 2 diabetes
- Lack of regular physical activity
- A lob-fiber and high-fat diet
- A diet high in processed meats
- A diet low in vegetables and fruit
- Being overweight or obese
- Alcohol consumption
- Tobacco use
Symptoms of colorectal cancer:
- There may NOT be symptoms early on
- A change in bowel habits, such as diarrhea, constipation or narrowing of the stool that lasts for more than a few days
- Feeling as though the bowel isn’t emptying
- Feeling like you needs to have a bowel movement but aren’t relieved by having one
- Blood in or on your stool
- Rectal bleeding
- Unintended weight loss
Talk to your health care professional if you have any of
these symptoms. The symptoms may be related to something else, but it is better
to make sure. As was mentioned earlier, the gold standard for colorectal cancer
screening is the colonoscopy. Ultimately, though, the best screening method for
colorectal cancer is the one that actually gets done.
The month of March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness
Month. Dress in blue on Friday, March 1 to show your support for colorectal
cancer screening.
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