Colorectal is the Third Most Common Cancer Diagnosis in America

12/10/2021

By Alfred E. McNair Jr., M.D.

When we think of cancer prevention, we typically think of those we hear the most about, such as breast cancer or lung cancer. However, excluding skin cancers, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in both men and women in the United States, per the ACS. The good news is that if colon cancer is detected before it spreads, the five-year survival rate is about 91 percent, according to the ACS. If it’s not caught before the cancer spreads to other organs, the survival rate dips to about 14 percent.

More than 145,000 new cases of colon cancer have been diagnosed in the U.S. over the past five years, according to the National Cancer Institute. If detected before it spreads, the five-year survival rate is about 90 percent – but if not caught before this point, the survival rate dips to just 10 percent.

The exact causes of colon cancer are unknown. One of the most important preventive steps is to get a colonoscopy, a screening test to detect any signs of cancer. A colonoscopy is a procedure to see inside the colon and rectum. Used as either a screening test or a diagnostic tool, it can help your doctor investigate unusual symptoms such as unexplained changes in bowel habits, abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, and weight loss.

A colonoscopy is performed using a long, thin, flexible tube, which is inserted through the rectum into the lower digestive tract, while the patient is sedated or asleep. The tube is equipped with a light and a tiny camera that transmits images of the patient’s intestinal lining to a computer screen located at the bedside. This enhanced view allows the doctor to see inflamed tissue and any abnormal growths.

If polyps (growths) are found during the exam, they are quickly and painlessly removed at that time, and later tested in a laboratory for signs of cancer. Polyps are common in adults, and usually harmless. However, most colorectal cancer begins as a polyp, so removing polyps early is an effective prevention method. Your doctor can also take samples from abnormal-looking tissues – a biopsy – during the colonoscopy, so that any suspicious areas can be examined for signs of disease and treated, if necessary.

The American Cancer Society recommends a routine colonoscopy screening for all adult men and women beginning at age 45, or earlier, if you have specific risk factors. Your doctor can provide guidance about the right time to begin and the frequency of testing, but industry guidelines suggest that a repeat screening be conducted every 10 years for adults with normal risk.

Your risk level for colon cancer varies according to your age, gender and ethnic background, as well as your overall health and lifestyle. Factors that affect your risk level include:

• Advancing age (over age 50)
• Male gender
• African American ethnic status
• A family or personal history of polyps (growths inside the rectum or colon), or colorectal cancer
• A high-fat diet
• Certain digestive diseases, diabetes, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis
• Ovarian and breast cancer

Depending on your age, a colonoscopy screening may be a covered “wellness” test under your insurance plan – and most plans cover a colonoscopy completely as a follow-up test or diagnostic tool. Check with your insurance provider and your doctor’s office for help in scheduling a screening exam.

Screening for colon cancer can save lives, which is why Merit Health Biloxi is making it easier for you to schedule a screening colonoscopy. To learn more, visit www.mycolonscreen.com or call (228) 861-8063 to schedule a screening test today.

About the Author
At an incredibly early age, with the encouragement of both parents, Alfred E. McNair Jr., M.D., pursued his passion for Medicine and enrolled at Tougaloo College in Jackson, MS. While there he interned for two summers at the Harvard School of Medicine in Boston, Massachusetts. He graduated summa cum laude in 1971 with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry at the age of nineteen. He went on to receive his Medical Degree from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City. Dr. McNair completed his internship in Internal Medicine at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New York and went on in 1980 to complete his fellowship in Gastroenterology at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California.

Sources: American Cancer Society, www.cancer.org, National Cancer Institute, www.cancer.gov, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, www2.niddk.nih.gov/

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