Screening for colon cancer is all about prevention. Unlike many other cancers, colorectal cancer can be stopped before it starts. Most of the time, the disease starts as pre-cancerous polyps, which your doctor may be able to remove during a colonoscopy, the gold standard testing procedure to screen for colorectal cancer. Finding and removing these polyps can save your life.
Unfortunately, there are few early warning signs for this disease, so it is important to be screened regularly, especially if you have one or more factors putting you at a higher risk for colorectal cancer. These factors include:
- Being over the age of 50
- Having an inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis
- Having a family history of colorectal cancer or other cancers
- Being of African American or Jewish Eastern European descent (Ashkenazi)
- Having certain genetic conditions, such as Familial Polyposis Syndrome, and Lynch Syndrome (HNPCC- Hereditary Non-Polyposis Colorectal Cancer)
While most polyp growths and colon cancers do not present early with symptoms, and symptoms may be due to a variety of conditions other than cancer, if you are experiencing symptoms, it is possible that any cancer present is at a more advanced stage. Check with your primary care provider if you have any of the following symptoms:
- Rectal bleeding
- Abdominal pain
- Change in bowel habits
- Unexplained weight loss
- Lack of appetite
- Unusual bloating