Screening Helps Prevent Colorectal Cancer

Mar 06, 2017

Your risk of getting colorectal cancer increases as you get older. More than 90% of cases occur in people who are 50 years old or older.

Other risk factors include having:

• Inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis.
• A personal or family history of colorectal cancer or colorectal polyps.
• A genetic syndrome such as familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) or hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (Lynch syndrome).

In addition, your risk may also increase with certain lifestyle factors such as:

• Lack of regular physical activity.
• A diet low in fruit and vegetables.
• A low-fiber and high-fat diet.
• Overweight and obesity.
• Alcohol consumption.
• Tobacco use

Of cancers that affect both men and women, colorectal (colon) cancer is the second leading cancer killer in the United States. But this is one cancer you can prevent! Screening helps find polyps (abnormal growths) in the colon or rectum before they turn into cancer.

Test your knowledge about colorectal cancer with this quiz! Who gets colorectal cancer? At what age should you stop getting screened? Make sure you know the facts.

Several tests are recommended to screen for colorectal cancer. If you’re between 50 and 75, get screened using one or a combination of these tests:

• Stool tests you can do at home include the FIT, the gFOBT, and the FIT–DNA test. They look for blood or altered DNA in the stool and are recommended every year or every three years, depending on the test.
• Flexible sigmoidoscopy lets the doctor view the lower third of your colon. It is done in a doctor’s office every five years, along with the FIT done every year.
• Colonoscopy lets the doctor view the entire colon and remove most polyps and some cancers. It is done in the doctor’s office or a clinic every 10 years. It is also used as a follow-up if anything unusual is found using one of the other tests.
• Virtual colonoscopy uses X-rays and lets a doctor see images of the colon on a computer screen. It is recommended every five years.

If you’re 76 to 85, the decision to be screened should be made with a doctor, after looking at your health and screening history. If you’re over 85, screening is not recommended.

Talk to your doctor about which test or tests are right for you.