3-16-10

Colon Cancer Screening

Colon cancer is the second leading cancer killer, yet it can be prevented.

About 145,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with colon cancer each year and nearly 50,000 will die from it.  But colon cancer can be prevented through early screening and treatment, says Dr. Russell Yang, professor and chief of gastroenterology at SIU School of Medicine in Springfield.

SOUND BITE: “With colon cancer the earlier you find the better it is.  And, we also know there are premalignant conditions called or precancerous conditions called polyps and these can be removed and hence colon cancer can be prevented.”

Dr. Yang says screening for colon cancer is recommended for an individual to begin at age 50 if there is no family history of the disease.  If there is a family history, or if you are African-American, screening should start earlier.  He explains some other risk factors for colon cancer.

SOUND BITE: “ . . . if you are a smoker or overweight, those are risk factors as well for colorectal cancer and that might be factored in.  However, even if you don’t meet that age criteria and you have a change in bowel habits or you have a change in the caliber or the size of the movement, or you are losing weight, or you have anemia, or you see blood in the stool, those kinds of things really should make you seek help sooner and get screened sooner.” 

Dr. Yang says some basic steps people can take to decrease their risk of getting colon cancer are to eat balanced meals—high in fiber, with lots of fruits and vegetables, drink a lot of fluids and minimize their intake of animal fats.

This is Ruth Slottag, SIU School of Medicine in Springfield.