The One Thing Doctors Who Treat Colon Cancer Say You Should Never, Ever Do

4 weeks ago

2 4 minutes read

More young people are getting diagnosed with colon and rectal cancer. About 10% of colon cancer cases in the United States have been amongst people under 50, with numbers increasing by about 1% to 2% each year. Yet there have been fewer cases among older adults, with colorectal cancer diagnoses dropping 1% each year.

The rise in cases has baffled doctors and researchers who are still trying to understand why this is only happening to this population. One explanation is that older adults, who have always been told of the risks of colorectal cancer past 50, have prioritized screenings. Early detection has allowed them to remove colorectal polyps before they become cancerous.

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Now adults in their 20s to 50s need to take a chapter from their book, looking out for the signs and symptoms of colon cancer. If you want to make a difference in your risk of colorectal cancer, doctors advise avoiding this common blunder when it comes to cancer detection.

Cancer Doctors Warn Against This Common Mistake

Colorectal surgeons and oncologists all agree—the worst thing you can do is miss your colon cancer screenings. With colorectal cancer possibly preventable if caught early enough, it would be a mistake to leave it up to chance.

“While the rate of colonoscope screening has increased over the last few decades, the lack of age-based screening continues to be the most significant risk of developing colon cancer,” Dr. Paul Johnson, MD, a colorectal surgeon and surgical oncologist at Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, tells Parade. “When an abnormal growth in the colon, known as polyps, are removed completely during a colonoscopy, they cannot progress to cancer.”

Regular screenings are especially important as you get older, Dr. Kyle S. Eldredge, DO, a colorectal surgeon at Advanced Surgical Physicians, notes. It’s even more important if you have a family history of the disease or notice signs associated with colorectal cancer, like blood in stool.

Alternatives to Colonoscopy for Colon Cancer Screenings

Colonoscopies are the gold standard for detecting possible colorectal cancer. However, if you’re uncomfortable with the idea of a colonoscopy, other options are available.

“If you or someone you know is opposed to a colonoscopy, there are other tests and samples available to you,” Dr. William E. Wise Jr., MD, a colorectal surgeon at OhioHealth, says.

Don’t want a colonoscopy? Other alternative screening methods include stool tests that use antibodies or chemicals on a sample of your bowel movement to check for blood. Wise says Cologuard, a popular stool DNA test you can do at home, is less invasive.

Flexible sigmoidoscopy is less invasive than a colonoscopy in that the doctor only inserts a short, thin lighted tube into the rectum to check for polyps in the lower third of the colon. When paired with a stool test, you only need to do this screening once every 10 years.

Virtual colonoscopies use X-rays and computers to create pictures of the colon for doctors to analyze. No insertion is required, and it can be done every 5 years.

With all that said, colonoscopy is still the preferred method for doctors to get a full grasp of your colorectal cancer risk. And if doctors suspect something unusual, they may always follow up with a colonoscopy. “Avoidance of routine screening will not allow the identification and removal of benign polyps, which are then able to advance to cancers, or allow early-stage cancers to advance to late-stage cancers,” Eldredge warns.

A little discomfort is better than having cancer. You may not even feel uncomfortable, considering that recent innovations have made the colonoscopy process less unpleasant.

How Often Should You Get a Colon Cancer Screening?

If you do not have a history of colorectal cancer or have a high risk, the recommended age for screening is 45 years and to get one every 10 years from that point until you turn 75.

For alternative screenings, the American Cancer Society recommends a virtual colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy every 5 years. Stool-based tests should be done every year.

Colorectal cancer screenings are advised on a case-by-case basis for people 76 to 84. Individuals over 85 no longer require regular screenings.

What Increases the Risk of Colon Cancer?

Screening is important, but so is doing all you can to walk out of the doctor’s office with a clean bill of health. Colorectal cancer risk factors fall into two categories: modifiable lifestyle factors and factors out of your control.

“When speaking about colon and colorectal cancers, there are things that people can’t control, such as genetics, age, family history or other genetic predispositions,” Wise explains. “And then there are the things that you can control, such as your lifestyle, diet, exercise, etc.”

If you scored unlucky in the genetic lottery, the best thing you can do is get colorectal cancer screenings earlier than the recommended age of 45. As far as what you eat, experts agree that diets high in the following foods may increase your colon and colorectal cancer risk:

In terms of lifestyle, Wise says the worst actions you can take are not exercising, obesity and smoking. Not only do they raise your risk of colon and colorectal cancers, but they also create a slew of other health issues. Having low vitamin D levels is also associated with colorectal cancer risk.

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