Colon cancer is one of the most preventable cancers. But despite that fact, it is the third most common cancer in the world and the second leading cause of cancer deaths.
Preventing cancer starts with education and March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.
Colon cancer starts out as a small polyp and takes about 10-15 years to turn into full blown cancer.
A colonoscopy is the gold standard test to find and remove polyps when they are still benign or pre-cancerous.
An average risk person should have their first screening colonoscopy at age 45, this is a more recent change in the guidelines, as before 2021, it was recommended to start screening at age 50. The reason for this change is due to the diagnosis of advanced polyps or full blow cancer in people at younger ages. People with certain risk factors, like family history, inflammatory bowel disease, or certain genetic risks may need to have a colonoscopy at a younger age.
To prevent Colon Cancer, a polyp must be removed before it becomes cancerous. The reason that a Colonoscopy is still considered the Gold Standard despite the availability of other tests is because a Colonoscopy can detect and remove polyps all at once.
Other available tests like fecal occult blood testing or stool DNA testing can detect the possibility of a polyp or cancer, but if you have a positive result, you still need to have a Colonoscopy for definitive diagnosis and removal.
There are 2 big reasons that patients give me for not wanting to do a colonoscopy:
- I don't have any family history. Although family history is a risk factor and people with a family history due require more frequent screening or screening at an earlier age, only ~ 30% of colon cancers are hereditary. That means 70% of colon cancers arise in people with no family history.
- I am afraid of getting a colon perforation. While colon perforation is a devastating complication of a colonoscopy, it occurs in only ~ 0.03% of cases. Conversely, the risk of developing colon cancer in a lifetime is ~ 1 in 23 for men and 1 in 25 for woman.
Besides having Colonoscopies, there are other things you can do to lower your risk of colon cancer.
Some studies have shown that you can lower your risk of developing colon cancer with regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, eating a diet low in animal fats and high in fruits, vegetables and whole grains, limiting alcohol, and avoiding tobacco.
If you have any questions or concerns, contact your healthcare provider.
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