Colon Cancer Awareness with Intermountain Health
March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month and an opportunity to spread awareness to our patients and their families about the importance of knowing their risk and what screening test is best for them to reduce colon cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates more than 53,000 Americans will die from colon cancer in 2024, making it the second leading cause of all cancer-related deaths in the United States.
Colon cancer is preventable, treatable, beatable. In fact, colon cancer has a 90 percent survival rate when its detected early. One alarming trend is the incidence rate of colorectal cancer continues to rise each year in people under the age of 55.
Young people are also often diagnosed with more advanced cancers due to delays in detection, driving home the point that prevention is the best strategy to beat cancer. According to the American College of Gastroenterology, people born around 1990 have twice the risk of colon cancer and four times the risk of rectal cancer as those born around 1958, hence the reason for the recommended screening age for colonoscopy screening being dropped to age 45.
Intermountain Health’s goal is to get the public to take control of their health and better understand that individual risk factors, such as a family history of colorectal cancer, inherited genetic disorders, or certain lifestyle choices may increase the likelihood that a person will develop colon cancer.
The only way to detect colon cancer it is through screening. People with an average risk of colon cancer should start their screenings at age 45.
People have an increased risk if they have chronic gastrointestinal issues or a history of colon cancer in your family. If you have these, talk to your doctor about your options for early detection and prevention.
For most patients a colonoscopy is then only needed once every 10 years, or once every five years if your doctor determines you have an increased risk of colon cancer.
A colonoscopy, which is an examination of the inside of your colon, is the most effective method of screening for colon cancer, precancerous growths, and polyps. If an abnormal mass or polyp is identified during the outpatient procedure, the physician will identify the best course of treatment, which may include removing it during the procedure.
Know the Warning Signs of Colon Cancer
Early-stage colon cancer seldom causes any clear or obvious symptoms, so it’s important to know the warning signs, such as:
• change in bowel habits
• rectal bleeding
• abdominal pain
• unintentional weight loss
• unexplained anemia (iron deficiency)
• fatigue
Many of these symptoms can be caused by something other than cancer, so get to know your body well enough that you can report changes in your overall health to your physician. A colonoscopy also helps your doctor see other problems that may be causing abdominal pain, weight loss, rectal bleeding or changes in bowel habits.
It’s important to know that there are increased colon cancer risks based on race. For example, Rates of colorectal cancer are higher in African Americans compared with other races. The chronic GI issues also present a higher risk as well.
Everyone can help to improve their risk factors include stopping smoking, improving your diet, keeping a healthy weight, and being active.
To find an Intermountain provider, visit intermountainnv.org.
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