Ayokunle Abegunde, MD
Colon cancer is the fourth most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death.
Colon cancer is when the cells in the colon grow out of control. Sometimes abnormal growths, called polyps, form in the colon. Some polyps can eventually turn into cancer.
Screening for colon cancer can find these polyps so they can be removed, and can also help find colon cancer at an early stage.
Symptoms
The symptoms of colon cancer can be no symptoms at all. That is why regularly getting screened for colon cancer is so important. If you have symptoms, they may include:
- A change in bowel habits
- Blood in or on your stool
- Diarrhea, constipation, or feeling that the bowel does not empty all the way
- Abdominal pain, aches, or cramps that don't go away
- Weight loss and you don't know why
If you have these symptoms, talk to your doctor. That's the only way to know what is causing them.
Risks
As you get older, your risk of getting colon cancer increases. Risk factors include having:
- Inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis
- A personal or family history of colon cancer or polyps
- A genetic syndrome such as familial adenomatous polyposis or hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer
While some risks are out of your control, there are certain risk factors that you can control. This includes:
- Lack of regular physical activity
- A diet low in fruit and vegetables
- A low-fiber and high-fat diet
- Overweight and obesity
- Alcohol consumption
- Tobacco use
Screening
Adults age 45 to 75 should be regularly screened for colon cancer. People at an increased risk of getting colon cancer should talk to their doctor about when to begin screening, which test is right for them, and how often to get tested. There are several different types of tests, so it's best to talk to your doctor about which test is right for you.
A colonoscopy is the most common type of screening test. This is similar to flexible sigmoidoscopy, except the doctor uses a longer, thin, flexible, lighted tube to check for polyps or cancer inside the entire colon. During the test, the doctor can find and remove most polyps and some cancers.