March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

Each year, March is recognized as Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, to raise awareness and encourage screening tests to detect colon and rectal cancer at its earliest possible stage. Colorectal cancer starts in the colon or rectum and is one of the most common cancers in men and women. With 136,000 Americans being diagnosed with colon cancer and more than 40,000 people diagnosed with rectal cancer every year, colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths with over 50,000 deaths a year in the United States. Nevertheless, strides have been made in the fight against colon cancer with enhanced screening efforts – including colonoscopies, high-sensitivity fecal occult blood tests and sigmoidoscopies – which have helped to save many lives by detecting precancerous polyps. When caught early, more than 65 percent of people with colorectal cancer can be cured, according to the American Cancer Society.

Taking a proactive approach by getting screened and modifying your diet, can help to reduce your risk of developing colorectal cancer. Of the many types of cancer, colorectal cancer is perhaps the one most strongly linked to diet. Consuming even small amounts of red meat and processed meat increases the risk of developing the disease. This March, in recognition of Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, practice primary prevention protocols and establish a healthy diet to reduce your cancer risk and maximize your health.

• Eat Less Red Meat and Processed Meat – Consuming red meats (such as beef, pork, lamb and veal) and processed meat (such as bacon, sausage, chicken and turkey sandwich meats, hot dogs, packaged ham and pepperoni) substantially raises your risk of developing colon cancer. Consuming just 50 grams of processed meat daily, equivalent to two slices of bacon or one sausage link, increases colorectal cancer by 21 percent.

• Try a Vegetarian Diet – A new study involving 77,000 adults found that a vegetarian diet may cut your risk of colorectal cancer by 20 percent. Take steps to prevent colon cancer by eating more fiber, nuts, grains and five helpings of fruits or veggies per day. In addition, you can switch from animal meats to plant-based meats. Plant-based meats contain cancer-fighting phytochemicals and fiber, which actually lower the risk of colorectal cancer.

• Other Cancer-Preventive Factors – Limiting alcohol intake to 1 or 2 drinks per day, stopping smoking, taking an aspirin daily (only if your doctor approves) and exercise daily to also lower your risk of developing colon cancer.

• Pay Attention to Family History – If any of your relatives have had colon cancer, or cancers of the uterus, stomach, pancreas, bladder, ovary or liver, be sure to discuss this with your doctor.

• Follow Recommended Screening Guidelines – You can prevent colorectal cancer by getting a colonoscopy to remove potential polyps, which can develop into colorectal cancer if not taken out. It is recommended that men and women over the age of 50 should have a colonoscopy every 10 years to monitor for colon cancer (earlier and more frequent if you have a family history of colon cancer). In addition, you can detect colon cancer at a more curable stage by getting a fecal occult blood test (FOBT) or fecal immunochemical test (FIT) to check for blood in the stool. Catching this cancer earlier increases survival rates.

• Watch for Symptoms – If you have any symptoms, such as abdominal pain lasting more than two weeks, abdominal swelling, indigestion, cramps, blood in stool or sudden weight loss, see your doctor and ask if it could be a warning sign of colorectal cancer.

Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month provides the perfect opportunity to pay more attention to your diet and to speak with your doctor about your individual risk to best determine which screening routines are most appropriate for you.

Dr. Thangamani Seenivasan is an Oncologic Surgeon at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. He serves as the chair of the Steeplechase Cancer Center’s Colon and Rectal Cancer Institute and president of the RWJ Somerset medical and dental staff.