March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
Todd Cancer Institute at MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center
By: Matthew Mukherjee, M.D., board-certified gastroenterologist, private practice, Long Beach Gastroenterology Associates
Colorectal cancer is the second deadliest cancer among patients in the United States – an unfortunate truth since there is a gold standard of screening to help prevent or detect colorectal cancer in early stages with colonoscopy. A colonoscopy is a procedure where a physician uses a long, thin, flexible, lighted tube to check for polyps or cancer inside the rectum and the entire colon. During the procedure, the doctor can find and remove most polyps which are the precursors to colon cancer.
Polyps are precancerous growths that develop in about 20% of women and about 30% of men. A small portion of those colon polyps are destined to become a cancer over about a ten-year period. Removing polyps during a colonoscopy is a highly effective way of preventing cancer from ever developing.
Just last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) changed the recommendation from age 50 to 45, for people to start getting a colonoscopy. This was done in order to address a rising incidence of colon cancer in people under the age of 50.
Though colonoscopy is the cancer screening test of choice, there are other screening options for colorectal cancer offered at the MemorialCare Todd Cancer Institute. The fecal immunochemical test (FIT) uses antibodies to detect blood in the stool. The FIT test is about 75% sensitive in detecting colon cancer. Another option is the Cologuard® test that is about 92% sensitive in detection, and like the FIT test, it is a stool-based test.
Any test to detect colorectal cancer is better than no test at all. And the best test is the one that actually gets done. However, we do recommend colonoscopy as the preferred procedure to prevent colon cancer. It’s a low risk, painless procedure performed under a light intravenous anesthesia. We have preps that are much more tolerable than before. Most people, even those with significant medical problems, can have a colonoscopy done safely.
My favorite part of gastroenterology is being able to prevent a cancer before it starts and to save lives. A lot of people delayed their preventative screenings during the COVID-19 pandemic, so I hope people take the time now to get back on track. While I want to put a spotlight on colorectal cancer during the month of March, it’s important to get screened for colon cancer year-round. I hope that anyone who is 45 or older seriously considers getting screened for colon cancer. While the prep for the test has a lot of stigma attached to it, I can assure you that colorectal cancer is worse.
The Colorectal Cancer Program at the Todd Cancer Institute helps people prevent cancer, and cares for patients who have colorectal cancer. The advanced diagnostic screening tools that are available make the screening experience less intimidating for patients. Overall, the most effective way to reduce your risk of colorectal cancer is to get screened for colorectal cancer routinely, beginning at age 45 (or younger if you have a family history).