March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, and it’s the perfect time to think about what you can do to reduce your risk of this disease. This year an estimated 132,700 new cases of colorectal cancers will be diagnosed in the United States, and approximately 49,700 people will die from the disease. Most of these deaths could be prevented with appropriate screening and early intervention. Because early colorectal cancer often has no symptoms, the American Cancer Society recommends that everyone 50 and over should be tested, and that people with a family history of the disease should talk to their doctor about testing earlier.
Colorectal cancer is cancer that starts either in the colon or rectum. These cancers almost always start with a polyp – a small growth on the lining of the colon or rectum. The cancer can be prevented by finding and removing these polyps (via colonoscopy) before they become cancerous. Another option that screens for cancer, but not polyps, is a fecal immunochemical test or fecal occult blood test, which is collected at home with a kit provided by your medical provider. These tests are cheap, easy, and non-invasive, but need to be done yearly to be considered an effective screening method. All insurance plans are now required to cover both forms of colorectal cancer screening for eligible patients.
While there are some risk factors you can’t change, such as age or family history, there are many others which you can! Obesity, physical inactivity, smoking, heavy alcohol use, a diet high in red or processed meat, and inadequate intake of fruits and vegetables have all been linked to an increased risk for developing colorectal cancer. To determine your personal risk, go to www.cancer.gov/colorectalcancerrisk/. If you have a family history of colon cancer – or even colon polyps – you may be at increased risk for developing colorectal cancer, and at a younger age. To learn more, go to http://familyplz.org/about.
Karen Forest, American Cancer Society
Durango