Colorectal cancer is the second most common type of cancer for people in the United States, and nearly 150,000 cases are discovered each year. It affects both men and women at almost equal rates, and early detection and treatment can have a major impact on treatment success.
Colon cancer screening involves looking for outgrowths and polyps inside the rectum and the colon. Removing and detecting non-cancerous growths as well as malignant tumors can prevent further complications and development of the disease. The most common and thorough form of screening for colon cancer is the colonoscopy.
People with a higher risk of colon cancer include:
•People over the age of 50
•People who previously had colon cancer
•People living with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis
•People with a family history of colon cancer or a personal history of other cancers
There are physical symptoms of colon cancer as well, including chronic constipation or diarrhea, fatigue, rectal bleeding, bloody stools and unexplained weight loss. A gastroenterologist can perform a colon cancer screening to find any problems and treat and remove polyps.
