Colon Cancer Prevention

By Marshall Newton, MD, Newton Family Medicine

 March is National Colon Cancer Awareness Month, and though it’s not a subject a lot of us want to consider, now may be a good time to learn a little more about what is the third most common cancer in the U.S. The numbers can be grim; an estimated 147,000 new cases of colon cancer are discovered each year and it is the second leading cancer killer. It definitely bears some consideration so take a deep breath and let’s dig in.

The average person has a one-in-20 chance of getting colon cancer in their lifetime. Unfortunately, as many as one in three patients who get colon cancer still die from it and lose, on average, 13 years of their life. But here’s the exciting news: this cancer is preventable. It almost always comes from a colon polyp which in medical terms is called an adenoma. Since an adenoma takes 10 to 15 years to change into cancer, we have a significant amount of time to find it. 

Colon cancer screening should start at age 50 for the average risk patient. The preferred screening test for most physicians is the colonoscopy. This test, during which a lighted flexible scope is used to look inside the colon, has been proven to be quite cost effective, safe and actually save lives. We much prefer to find colon cancer before it shows up with symptoms like rectal bleeding or with an adenoma. So screening is where the action is. 

You may be considered high risk if you have a parent or sibling who had colon cancer or adenomas before the age of 60. If this is the case, it is recommended that you get your first colonoscopy at age 40, or 10 years earlier than the age of the relative who had colon cancer, whichever is earlier. 

When it comes to causes, newer information shows that tobacco use increases the risk of developing an adenoma to the same level as inheriting it genetically. The American College of Gastroenterology also feels African-Americans are at such a higher risk that they should consider a screening at age 45. 

The new healthcare reform laws now enable most patients to get a free colonoscopy at age 50, but almost half of all eligible Americans still have not had their first colonoscopy. It’s not the most pleasant test to consider but it could save your life. So please take a moment to take care of yourself and make sure your colon cancer prevention is up to date. There is no reason to wait.

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