Colorectal Cancer

PREVENTION

While nothing guarantees that you don’t develop cancer, there are steps you can take to reduce your risk and stay healthy.

• Make healthy food choices
• Eat foods high in fiber - try to increase the amount of fiber in your diet to between 20 and 30 grams daily. High-fiber foods include whole grains, fruits and vegetables.
• Limit processed foods, sweets and salt.
• Avoid foods high in saturated fats
• Eat 5 of more servings of fruits and vegetables daily.
• Choose foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
• Don’t overeat. Watch portion size and calories.
• Limit sweets.
• Limit alcohol consumption. Limit the amount of alcohol - wine, beer or mixed drinks - to less than one drink per day, or avoid it completely.
• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Engage in regular physical activity, preferably 45 to 60 minutes five days per week.
• Don’t smoke.
• Get regular check-ups and talk to your doctor about regular cancer screenings.

SYMPTOMS

Sometimes there are no symptoms of colorectal cancer in its early stages. However, talk to your doctor as soon as possible if you notice anything unusual.

• Change in bowel habits, including constipation, diarrhea or change in stool consistency
• Blood in the stool
• Abdominal pain with a bowel movement
• Persistent cramps, gas, bloating or abdominal pain
• Feeling that the bowel doesn’t empty completely
• Unexplained weight loss

RISK FACTORS

Colorectal cancer can develop for a variety of reasons. Talk to your doctor about your risk.

• Age - most colorectal cancers are diagnosed in men or women over age 50. Colorectal cancer affects both men and women.
• Family history - your risk may increase if you have a parent, sibling or child with colorectal cancer or colon polyps.
• Personal history - if you’ve had colorectal cancer or adenomatous polyps (benign but may be precursor to colon cancer), your risk increases.
• Inflammatory intestinal conditions - conditions like ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, when the colon is inflamed over a period of time, can increase your risk.
• Genetics - inherited genetic syndromes can increase susceptibility to colorectal cancer at a younger age. Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) - a disease that causes development of thousands of polyps in the colon and rectal lining - and hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) - also called Lynch syndrome - are two such genetic syndromes that can be detected through genetic testing.
• Diabetes - diabetics have an increased risk for developing colorectal cancer.
• Diet - a diet high in red meats, processed meats, or fats, especially from animal sources, can increase your risk.
• Alcohol consumption - heavy use of alcohol may increase your risk.
• Obesity - people who are obese have an increased risk of developing colorectal cancer and an increased risk of dying from it.
• Sedentary lifestyle - physical inactivity increases your risk.

Colorectal is treatable when detected early. Screening tests can find colorectal cancers at an early stage when treatment is the most successful. Screening tests can also help prevent some cancers by allowing doctors to find and remove polyps that might become cancer.

The American Cancer Society recommends the following tests for men and women of average risk. Screening should begin at age 50 with one of the 5 options.

Stool blood tests - Fecal occult blood test (FOBT) or fecal immunochemical test (FIT): annually, beginning at age 50
This test checks stool (solid waste) for blood that can only be seen with a microscope.

Barium enema: every five years, beginning at age 50
This is a series of X-rays of the lower gastrointestinal tract. A liquid that contains barium (a silver-white metallic compound) is put into the rectum. The barium coats the lower gastrointestinal tract and X-rays are taken. This procedure is also called a lower GI series.

Flexible Sigmoidoscopy: every five years, beginning at age 50
This procedure looks inside the rectum and sigmoid (lower) colon for polyps, abnormal areas, or cancer. A sigmoidoscope (a thin, lighted tube) is inserted through the rectum into the sigmoid colon. Polyps or tissue samples may be taken for biopsy.

Yearly stool blood test plus Flexible Sigmoidoscopy: every five years, beginning at age 50

Colonoscopy: every 10 years, beginning at age 50
This procedure looks inside the rectum and colon for polyps, abnormal areas, or cancer. A colonoscope (a thin, lighted tube) is inserted through the rectum into the colon. Polyps or tissue samples may be taken for biopsy. You will receive sedation, and are not awake, during this procedure.