Cancer of the colon and rectum, colorectal cancer, is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men and women in the United States. It's expected to cause about 50,630 deaths during 2018.
Some people don’t like the idea of getting a test for colorectal cancer. They think having your rectum examined is too intrusive or disgusting. However, being tested could save your life.
Regular screening for colorectal cancer should begin at age 50 with testing every 10 years for people at average risk, according to U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. You may need to get tested before age 50 if colorectal cancer runs in your family. People who have an inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis also need to be tested before age 50.
Tests include:
Colonoscopy: The doctor looks at the entire length of the colon, which is the large intestine and rectum, with a colonoscope, a thin, flexible, lighted tube with a small video camera on the end to detect any abnormality.
Sigmoidoscopy: The doctor looks at the inside of the rectum and less than half of the colon with a sigmoidoscope, a flexible, lighted tube with a small video camera on the end.
If a small polyp, a growth that may or not be cancer, is found during the tests, the doctor may remove it and have it sent to the lab for testing.
Stool tests: These can be done annually.
I’ve had a couple of colonoscopies. The procedure isn’t too bad. You’re sedated during the procedure, so it goes quickly. However, getting ready for the test is a different matter. Five days ahead, you need to eliminate fiber, seeds, uncooked vegetables, and red liquid from your diet. One day before the colonoscopy, you drink a half gallon of a special liquid that gives you diarrhea. Early the next morning before the test, you drink the rest of the liquid. That’s the most unpleasant part. You need to get “cleaned out” so that the camera on the end of the scope can see any irregularities.
A tip: Drink the liquid exactly as directed. Drink 8 ounces, wait 10 minutes, then drink another 8 ounces. Take a timer with you into the bathroom. The evening before, I only used my kitchen timer at the beginning, estimating later. It took hours to get through the half-gallon of liquid. The next morning at 6 a.m., I followed the directions and it only took two hours.
It’s important to be tested regularly because if colorectal cancer is found early, the treatment is more effective.
Talk to your health care provider about when to get tested. Some health maintenance organizations don’t recommend testing for colorectal cancer until age 60 or recommend a sigmoidoscopy for women because they supposedly don’t get cancer high up in the colon. I know a man who was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer in his 50s and a woman who died because a sigmoidoscopy didn’t detect her colon cancer.
Symptoms of colorectal cancer may include:
- Blood, either bright red or very dark, in or on your bowel movement.
- Stomach pain, aches, or cramps that don’t go away.
- A feeling that your bowel doesn’t empty completely.
- Frequent gas pains or cramps, or feeling full or bloated.
- Losing weight and you don’t know why.
If you have any of these symptoms, talk to your doctor. They may be caused by something other than cancer, but the only way to know what’s causing them is to see your doctor.
