Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States — only lung cancer is more deadly, affecting about 174,000 people each year and taking 160,000 lives. This year alone, about 149,000 Americans will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer, and about 55,000 will die from it. By comparison, breast cancer will affect 213,000 women this year and claim about 41,000 lives. During that same time, roughly 234,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, and 27,000 will die from it.
Even though colon cancer and rectal cancer are often referred to together (as colorectal cancer), they describe cancers of two different areas. Rectal cancer occurs when a tumor grows in the bottom 6 inches of the bowel. If a tumor grows in any area of the bowel that's above the rectum, it is called colon cancer.
Colorectal cancer affects men and women in equal numbers. It is not a "man's disease" — which is how some people think.
Colorectal cancer doesn't discriminate — a person of any race can get this disease. However, African-American men and women are more likely to develop colorectal cancer than any other racial group, and they are also more likely to die from it.
Although it is true that nine out of ten cases of colorectal cancer are diagnosed in people older than 50, the average age for diagnosis is only 62. This is why doctors recommend that everyone older than 50 should have routine screening exams for colorectal cancer.
Genes can play a part in who develops colorectal cancer. As with many other diseases, your risk goes up if a close family member has had it. However, the majority of people who get colorectal cancer have no family history at all.
The majority of people who develop colorectal cancer have no history of inflammatory bowel disease or other bowel conditions. Even if a person has never had digestive problems of any kind, he or she is still at risk for colorectal cancer. However, a change of bowel habits may be an early symptom.
Colorectal cancer can grow for a long time without causing any symptoms — or in some cases, it may cause vague or low-level symptoms that a person might ignore. Often, by the time it causes noticeable symptoms, the cancer has become much harder to treat.
Colorectal cancer is actually one of the most preventable cancers. Tumors in the colon or rectum begin as polyps (benign growths), and it is possible to detect and remove them before they become cancerous. This is done with a colonoscopy, a test that uses a scope to examine the entire colon and rectum. If the doctor finds any polyps, he or she can remove them during the exam.
When colorectal cancer is found early — meaning that the cancer is confined to one location within the colon or rectum — it is very treatable, and the vast majority of people survive. It becomes much more difficult to treat when it's discovered later and after the cancer has spread to other parts of the body.
Schedule your colonscopy today - Call Dr. Eisenman (Gastroenterologist)at 863-983-8704 or Dr. Carroll (General Surgeon) at 863-983-5026.