James A. Surrell, M.D.

As you know, we have multiple cancer awareness months. I am very supportive of the concept of our USA cancer awareness months. It gives us all an opportunity to be reminded of the importance of cancer prevention measures, of how important it is to know our family medical cancer history, and to follow the current cancer screening and early detection recommendations. We all need to be aware of these all-too-common cancers and how it may well be life-saving to follow the screening guidelines and the recommendations of your health care provider.

March is designated to be the colon and rectal cancer awareness month. Cancers of the colon and of the rectum are referred to as colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer is an increasingly important public health problem in the United States and worldwide. Colorectal cancers are the fourth most common cancers in the USA, following lung cancer, breast cancer in women, and prostate cancer in men. Colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States.

Colon cancer is also related to risk factors such as age, diet, and the presence of inflammatory bowel disease. Screening colonoscopy is critical in identifying the presence of, and removal of colorectal polyps. Colorectal polyps are frequently removed during a colonoscopy examination and this will dramatically reduce the risk of a person ever getting colorectal cancer. Surgery is the mainstay of curative treatment for colorectal cancer, and chemotherapy may also be recommended. Radiation may also be recommended as additional treatment for rectal cancer but is less commonly used to treat colon cancer.

Colorectal cancer is often called the “silent killer,” because there are usually no early symptoms. In fact, the most common early symptom of colon cancer is nothing at all. Therefore, do not ever believe that if you are having no symptoms and feeling well, that you should not have colorectal cancer screening. Of course, if any symptoms are present, such as rectal bleeding, change in bowel habits, unexplained weight loss, unexplained anemia, or other digestive symptoms, see your doctor right away. Remember this most important fact – the most common early symptom of colorectal cancer is nothing at all. This is why it is so important to follow these screening guidelines for this common but preventable cancer. Again, if you are having any digestive system problems or complaints, see your health care provider and get checked right away. Further, know that smoking will significantly increase the overall risk of many cancers, including colorectal cancer.

In terms of number of new cases per year, the four most common cancers in the USA are prostate cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, and colorectal cancer. People who have a first-degree relative (parents, brother or sister, or their children) with colorectal cancer have 2 to 3 times the risk of developing colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in the USA, but know that there are also very many colorectal cancer survivors in the United States today.

The current recommendations for colorectal cancer screening are to have a colonoscopy examination at age 45. Further recommendations for the frequency of these screening examinations will be made depending upon what is found at the time of this initial screening examination. However, if a person has a family history of colorectal cancer, the recommendation is to start screening at 10 years before the age of the family member who was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. It is so important to know your family history of any cancers because this can increase your risk of possibly developing that cancer, but it also does change the cancer screening recommendations.

Colorectal cancer is one of the most curable cancers, and know that the most common early symptom of colon cancer or of the pre-cancerous colon polyps is nothing at all. Do yourself and your family a big favor and follow the screening guidelines for the prevention of colorectal cancer.