What are colon and rectal cancers?
The colon and rectum (colorectal) cancer are cancers that occur in the lowest part of the digestive system. The colon is another name for the large intestine. It connects the small intestine to the rectum and anus. Colon cancer is cancer that occurs in this part of your digestive tract and can spread to other parts of the body and lead to death. Colon cancer is common in both men and women. Tests to monitor or screen for colorectal cancer help doctors find colon and rectal cancer at an earlier stage when it can be cured more easily.
What are the symptoms of colorectal cancer?
Symptoms of colorectal cancer include:
-Blood in stools – Dark or tarry stools
-Stomach pain or frequent gas pain
-Change in bowel habits (constipation or diarrhea)
-Fatigue: Feeling weak or tired
-Iron deficiency anemia
-No symptoms: Most people have no symptoms earlier on. That’s why screening for colorectal cancer is so important
How does screening for colorectal cancer work?
Screening means testing for colorectal cancer in people who don’t have any symptoms at all.
–When should you start screening? Most people without symptoms should be screened for colorectal cancer when they turn 50 years of age. Some doctors start screening at 45 years of age. Ask your doctor what age is right for you. If you have an immediate family member (parent or sibling) who has been diagnosed with colorectal cancer before the age of 60, you will need to get a colonoscopy at 40 years of age or when you are ten years younger than the age your family member was when they were diagnosed, whichever is earlier.
-How often should screening occur? The frequency of screening depends on the type of screening tool that is used. The most common test used to screen for colorectal cancer is a colonoscopy. To prepare for a colonoscopy, your doctor gives you a laxative to drink so that you have diarrhea and clean out your bowels. Then she puts a flexible video camera through your anus into your colon and looks for any growths (polyps). If a growth is found, your doctor will take it out and have it tested for cancer. If your first colonoscopy is completely normal, you will need another one in ten years. If there is an abnormality found, you may need another colonoscopy sooner, e.g. in 1, 3, or 5 years.
-When should you stop screening? The current recommendations are to start screening at 50 years of age and continue through age 75 years old. When you turn 75, your doctor will consider your life expectancy by looking at your health and other diseases that you may have and advise you on whether a colonoscopy will be beneficial to you or not.
How is colorectal cancer diagnosed?
If your doctor becomes concerned that you may have colorectal cancer because you are having some of the symptoms discussed above, he/she will recommend that you get a colonoscopy to look for colorectal cancer. Cancers growing within the colon and rectum can be seen during a colonoscopy. A piece of the growth will be removed to be examined for the presence of cancer.
If you are diagnosed with colorectal cancer, your doctor will order tests needed to determine how far the cancer has spread. This is called staging. Staging is important because the treatment of colorectal cancer will determine on the staging of the cancer.
How is colorectal cancer treated?
Depending on the staging, colorectal cancer is treated with a combination of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. All three treatments methods don’t have to be used. If you are diagnosed with colorectal cancer, your doctor will talk with you about your treatment options.