Learn about colorectal cancer and when to start screenings
By Gloria Madera, CHRISTUS Health
CHRISTUS Health recognizes March as National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month by providing crucial information about the second-deadliest cancer in the U.S., which can be detected with screenings.
“Colorectal cancer is located in the colon or rectum,” said Dr. German Almonte, general surgeon with CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health System. “It can start as a noncancerous tumor, or polyp, but it is important to recognize the signs and symptoms of the cancer.”
He said those symptoms could include changes in bowel movements, such as diarrhea or constipation; the consistency, color, and even shape of the stool; and abdominal pain, cramping, or bloating. He said you should seek medical attention and speak with your primary care physician if symptoms last for one to two weeks. But, if you experience bleeding in the rectum area, then an expedited evaluation is recommended.
“A colonoscopy is needed to evaluate for colorectal cancer,” Almonte said. “During the procedure, we inspect the lining of the colon and rectum, and the sooner a polyp is found, the better.”
A patient is sedated during a colonoscopy. A colonoscope, which is a small, lighted camera attached to the end of a long, thin, flexible tube with multiple channels, is inserted through the anus and advanced through the colon to the end. The colonoscope pumps air into the colon to inflate it, and the camera transmits video so the physician can see the inside of the colon on a monitor.
“Treatment will depend on the stage of colorectal cancer when it’s found,” Almonte said. “If it’s isolated in the colon, then surgery is our first option. If it’s advanced and has traveled to the lymph nodes, on occasion, chemotherapy and/or radiation is used to shrink the tumor before it’s surgically removed.”
The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force now recommends adults start getting screened for colorectal cancer at age 45, five years earlier than the previous guidelines. The change in 2021 was based on the trend of growing cases among younger adults.
Experts aren’t sure why there’s an increase in younger adults getting colon cancer but point to poor diet, obesity, lack of exercise, tobacco and alcohol use, as well as environmental impacts such as exposure to chemicals as possible factors. Family history also plays a role.
“Early detection increases the chance of a cure,” Almonte said. “That is why it’s important to highlight National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, so people can learn what it is and when screenings should start.”
Noninvasive at-home colon cancer screening tests are available for adults 45 and older at average risk.
To learn more about colorectal cancer and screenings, visit www.christushealth.org.
