LANSING, Mich. — Colon cancer is the third-most-common cancer for Americans, and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Thankfully, it is also one of the most preventable and treatable cancers if caught early, and there are many steps you can take to lower your risk for developing it.
March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, and McLaren Greater Lansing doctors are helping patients learn about their risks, detect polyps and cancers earlier, and receive cutting-edge treatments that give them their best chance of leading long, healthy lives.
The key to awareness is knowing when it is time for you to start getting screened for colon cancer. The American Cancer Society recommends screenings start at age 45 for people with an average risk of cancer, but that number can change depending on several factors, including genetics and race. For example, African-Americans are at a higher risk for developing colon cancer than Caucasians.
“If you have an immediate relative who has been diagnosed with colon cancer, you should start screenings ten years earlier than their age when they were diagnosed,” said McLaren Greater Lansing general surgeon Nicholas St.Hilaire, DO. “Colon cancer symptoms don’t typically occur until the cancer is in later stages, so it’s important to start screenings early.”
More advanced stages of colorectal cancer can spread to the lymph nodes, liver, and lungs, which puts patients at a much higher risk of not having a surgical option for removal. Over the course of 10 to 15 years, certain polyps are sure to turn into cancer if left alone.
The polyps that develop into colorectal cancer can be removed before they turn cancerous if detected early enough. The removal can be done through a colonoscopy and eliminates the risk for cancer from those polyps, and requires a minimal amount of preparation. “Many cancers can be prevented with polyp removal,” said Dr. St.Hilaire.
Surgeons at McLaren Greater Lansing are using the latest technologies to remove polyps and cancers that are caught in early stages, leading to faster healing and less pain after a procedure. “Surgeries aren’t like they were 30 years ago when you would need a large opening across your belly,” said Dr. St.Hilaire. “Many surgeries are done using the assistance of laparoscopic techniques and minimally-invasive robotic surgery that lead to very small incisions, with some patients being able to go home on the same day as their procedure.”
Beyond the importance of regular screening for colon cancer, there are steps you can start taking right now to lower your risk of developing it. Quitting smoking, limiting alcohol consumption, and cutting down on or eliminating eating processed and smoked red meats all help to cut your likelihood of having colon cancer.
This month, take a moment to assess your risk, consider when you and your loved ones need to start screenings, and think about ways to change your lifestyle to help reduce your risk in the future. “Most importantly, do something,” said Dr. St.Hilaire. “Having polyps removed is a one- to two-day inconvenience now, instead of a life-changing cancer diagnosis in the future.”
