Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. It is a cancer that develops in the colon or rectum; more than ninety percent of all cases develop in people age fifty and older.
Your risk of developing colorectal cancer increases as you age. If everyone age fifty and older had a regular colorectal cancer screening test (like a colonoscopy), more than one third of the deaths from colorectal cancer could be avoided! Both men and women are at risk for this kind of cancer. As soon as possible after your fiftieth birthday, you should schedule a colorectal cancer screening. Talk to your doctor about a screening test earlier if you have a family history of colon polyps or colorectal cancer.
Screening saves lives. Colorectal cancer almost always develops from growths in the colon called polyps. There are several different tests to find precancerous polyps, so they can be removed before they develop into cancer. Should a patient have colorectal cancer, screening tests can find it in the early stages, when treatment works best.
Precancerous polyps and colorectal cancer do not always show symptoms in the early stages. If you do have symptoms, they may include:
- Blood in your stool
- Unexplained pain or cramps in the stomach
- A change in bowel habits
- Unexplained weight loss
Talk to your doctor if you have any of these symptoms. They could be signs of some other health issue, but only your doctor can tell you for sure.
Your testing options include tests that use a scope, like a colonoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy. Your doctor may suggest a barium enema test, which uses an x-ray. Or you may be given a kit for a fecal occult blood test, which checks for hidden blood in your stool. If the results of one test are not clear, your doctor may order more than one type of screening test for colorectal cancer.