Colon cancer screening is one of the best ways to prevent colorectal cancer. In general, your risk of developing colon cancer increases as you age. If this is your only risk factor, you are considered "average risk." Other factors in your personal and family medical history may increase your risk. The simplest way for average-risk individuals to prevent colorectal cancer is to receive colon cancer screening beginning at age 50.
Why bother?
Colon cancer is the third leading cause of death due to cancer in the United States. People tend to avoid the doctor until they have symptoms. That's understandable, but it's a mistake. About 75% of people who develop colorectal cancer are 50 or older with no other identifiable risk factors. In fact, someone is diagnosed every four minutes and someone dies from the disease about every nine minutes. But it doesn't have to be that way. Getting a colonoscopy can reduce the average person's risk of dying from colorectal cancer by 90% and when diagnosed early, the majority of colorectal cancers are completely curable.
What are your options?
Most health plans (including Medicare) cover colon cancer screening and help is available for the uninsured. If you'd rather not have a colonoscopy once every ten years, another option is to have a fecal occult blood test (FOBT) each year along with a sigmoidoscopy or barium enema every five years.
The take-home message is that which colon cancer screening regimen you follow isn't as important as simply making sure you receive colon cancer screening. When it comes to colon cancer, too many people die waiting for a better screening test to come along.
What's holding you back?
Common reasons for avoiding screening include being unaware you're due, fear of the procedure or prep, and embarrassment. If you've never been screened, what's your main reason? (Just click on an answer to vote.)- I'm younger than 50.
- I'm 50 or older, but don't think screening is necessary.
- I'm waiting for the camera pill.
- I'm too busy.
- I don't like the prep required.
- It's too embarrassing.
- I'm afraid it'll hurt.
- It's too expensive.
- I don't have anyone to drive me home.
- I can't take time off from work for the procedure and recovery.
See the results of the poll without voting.
Related Articles:- Medicare Benefits for Colon Cancer Screening
- Colon Cancer Screening for the Uninsured
- How to Get Someone You Love to Receive Colon Cancer Screening
- Disease Informaton: CRC Facts & Figures. Colon Cancer Alliance. 17 Jan. 2007 [http://www.ccalliance.org/about/disease/crcfacts.html].
- Kaz, A. and Brentnall, T. "Genetic Testing for Colon Cancer." Nature Clinical Practice Gastroenterology and Hepatology. 3.12 (Dec. 2006): 670-679. 18 Jan. 2007.
- Rex, Douglas. "Screening for Colon Cancer and Evaluation of Chemoprevention with Coxibs." Journal of Pain and Symptom Management 23.4 (Apr. 2002): S41-S50. Science Direct. 17 Jan. 2007.
