In today's two year well being,
we are talking about what you
should know about colon cancer and
the importance of early detection.
Nurse Christine Brannick is the oncology
outreach manager with cone health,
so she is going to be the one who
is answering all of our questions.
So let's First off just talk about this.
What exactly is colon cancer?
So colon cancer basically is
cancer of the large testing.
So the large intestines are
colon and the last few inches
of the colon is our ******.
And that's where rectal cancer.
OK, so two different kinds of cancers,
colon cancer and rectal cancer.
Who's at risk for colon cancer?
Are there certain groups
that are at higher risk?
Yes, so most colon colorectal
cancers occur in individuals over 50,
but we have seen a lot more colorectal
cancers and individuals under 50,
so they did decrease the
screening right now to 45.
It was 50. Also some other.
Things that could put it increased risk.
Obviously a family history.
Like if your parents,
your grandparents, siblings,
would put you at a higher risk.
If you have a confirmed diagnosis or
suspect of colorectal colorectal cancer
syndrome such as the Lynch syndrome,
it is a genetic syndrome.
There is genetic testing where you
could if you were at high risk for that,
and it is actually done here at
the cone Health Cancer Center.
Also, if you were to have a family
history of adenomas which are
basically precancerous polyps,
or if you had a personal history of.
Those polyps, obviously.
If you had a personal history
of colorectal cancer.
If you've ever had a history
of radiation treatment to the
abdomen or pelvic area to treat
a prior cancer if you've had any
inflammatory intestinal conditions,
such as ulcerated colitis or Crohn's disease,
those individuals, obesity,
smoking, have alcohol abuse,
use sedentary lifestyle,
low fiber,
high fat diet,
all those things would put you at an
increased risk for colorectal cancer.
Alright, so let's talk about
what are some of the signs?
Maybe that we should be looking for
that could be a symptom of colon cancer
and what should prompt us to kind of
contact our health care provider.
So first, let's go over the symptoms.
So some of the
symptoms you know,
the first one you might notice is
a change in your bowel will happen,
such as if you're going more frequently,
less frequently diarrhea or diarrhea,
Constipation, or if you're even
seeing a change in the consistency
consistency of your stool.
Like if your stool maybe look like a pencil,
or they're very narrow,
because if there's a tumor in there,
it could be blocking that cold colon
and making it harder to get through
which narrowing those stools out.
It could also be any bleeding of
your ****** or in your stool.
Persistent abdominal discomfort.
This could be.
Cramping gas pain if you have that sensation,
your body will just does not empty it.
You just went to the bathroom and then
you still feel the need to go weakness,
fatigue or if you ever had
any unexplained weight loss.
Those would definitely all be symptoms
that you would need to report to
your provider and have checked
right? So if any of those pertain
to you in any way, shape or form,
this is now when you should be
taking action to call your doctor
and at least get a check up and see
where you go for there from there.
So for some people these
symptoms may be uncomfortable.
To talk about, or the person might
associated with other things
like irritable bowel syndrome.
So how important is it to not wait
to get checked out for colon cancer?
It's very important because if we can
find a colorectal cancer earlier,
the greater chance of treatment and survival.
There's so many treatment options we
came so far that if we find them early
enough then like Julie said, we can.
Patient may not need chemotherapy,
even though if we were to find them when
they're a pop before they even develop,
as I'll talk to you in a minute about the.
Colonoscopy, you wouldn't have to
do anything except to have that
procedure done and remove that polyp.
OK, alright, so then you go to the
doctor and you wanna get tested.
How is colon cancer diagnosed?
So the gold standard is that colonoscopy,
and as I mentioned earlier,
the recommended screening is start at 45.
Typically it's every 10 years,
though if you have one of those risk
factors that I mentioned earlier and maybe
more frequent like three or five years,
it's very important to talk
to your provider about that.
Then there's also other
tests that can be done.
They can do what they call
a virtual colonoscopy.
It's basically like where
they do a CT screening,
though typically if they saw
something they would need to do a
colonoscopy to actually diagnose.
They can also do a sigmoid, osca P.
Those are usually, if they're done,
they're every five years.
The disadvantage to those that
it doesn't check the whole colon,
it's only part of it.
There is some at home testing,
like the Fit test,
which is the fecal immunochemical
test where it's basically a stool
sample that's sent to the lab.
It's a one time sample that sent and it
can detect hidden blood in your stool.
There's also somebody some people
may remember the old way that's not
used as common, but it's still done.
It's what they call a fecal cold blood test.
It's like the stool cards that
we used to give out,
and some providers do still do those.
It's usually a sample three
days in a row typically,
or three stools in a row.
You would do a sample from each of those,
and that again detects hidden
blood in the stool.
The only disadvantage to that screening is
there is you do need to follow specific.
Side and sometimes some of your
medications may need to be adjusted
or you need to talk to your provider
about during that period of time.
Also there is what they call a color guard.
Some people probably heard of that and
that is a DNA test to the stool that
is done every three years and again,
any of those tests if they
came back showing anything,
you would still need a colonoscopy,
ultimately.
OK, we're gonna talk about what happens.
Like if you delay the colonoscopy.
Turn COVID-19 'cause a lot of
people delayed getting any kind of
health procedure or anything done
in that last year and a half or so.
We're going to talk about that and much
more coming up in the next segment.
We'll be right back in just a few minutes.