3-15-05
Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cancer killer in the United States and it can be prevented, but many people do not get screened for the disease.

When colon cancers are detected at an early stage, the five-year survival rate is 90 percent. But the majority of Americans do not get tested. Dr. Jan Rakinic, associate professor of surgery at SIU School of Medicine in Springfield, says people should not be embarrassed about being tested for colon cancer. She explains why being tested is so important.

SOUND BITE: "Colorectal cancer is somewhat unique in that there is an index lesion called the polyp. And the polyp can be identified and removed and in doing so, we can prevent cancers, we know this. Now this is applicable to most of the vast majority of people with what we call sporadic colorectal cancer."

Early colon cancer usually has no symptoms. The major risk factor is being over the age of 50. Other risk factors include having a family history for colon cancer and other cancers, a personal history of polyps and inflammatory bowel disease. Rakinic says colon cancer can be detected only by screening and offers these recommendations.

SOUND BITE: " . . . people should undergo their first screening evaluation when they are aged 50. Now this presumes of course that they don’t have another factor that places them in increased risk, such as a first degree relative who has had a colorectal polyp or cancer, that they don’t have a genetic problem that places them in higher risk and also that they’re asymptomatic from a GI standpoint."

Dr. Rakinic says a colonoscopy is the best screening procedure for detecting colon cancer. This procedure allows the removal of polyps that could become cancerous if not detected and removed. For more information about colon cancer screening, contact your primary care physician.