What Are Five Key Things to Know About Colorectal Cancer?

Your colon, which makes up the longest share of the large bowel intestine, performs a function in digestion and plays a key role in your general health. As the leftovers of food pass through the colon, the last remaining nutrients and liquids are absorbed, and the waste is then forced out by way of the rectum as stool. Cancer that emerges in the colon or rectum is frequently classed jointly as colorectal cancer.

According to the American Cancer Society, around 150,000 new occurrences of colorectal cancer are diagnosed each year. Luckily, colorectal cancer is easily discoverable by colonoscopy screenings and, when caught early on, the likelihood of overcoming it is extremely favorable. To locate a colonoscopy doctor near you and book a colorectal cancer exam, contact Digestive Health Associates of Texas in Dallas, TX.

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, and Digestive Health Associates of Texas aims to deliver important information you should know about colorectal cancer to help you and your loved ones remain healthy. Keep reading to learn five key things about colorectal cancer.

#1: Colon and rectal cancer is the second most reason for cancer deaths.

Colon and rectal cancer is the second leading reason for cancer deaths between men and women combined. The American Cancer Society estimates that around 52,000 individuals will die from colorectal cancer this year. Because of routine colonoscopies and colorectal cancer awareness all across the country, colon and rectal cancer deaths have been on the decline. Regrettably, it is theorized that around one-third of American adults are not current on their routine colonoscopy exams.

#2: Colon and rectal cancer impacts men and women equally.

The American Cancer Society calculates that about 1 in 23 men and 1 in 25 women will receive a colorectal cancer diagnosis at some point during their lifetime. This means that gender is not a colorectal cancer factor of risk; men and women have roughly the same possibility of developing colorectal cancer. The risk factors for colorectal cancer are:

  • A family history of colorectal cancer

  • Smoking

  • Inflammatory bowel disease

  • Excessive alcohol intake

  • Obesity

  • Being older than 45

#3: There may be no warning signs of colorectal cancer.

Per the Colon Cancer Coalition, six out of every 10 patients determined to have colon cancer are diagnosed with late-stage illness, presumably because they did not get a colonoscopy until there were signs of a threat. Individuals in the beginning stages of colon and rectal cancer will likely show no signs of the cancer, and when colon and rectal cancer does exhibit symptoms, it is frequently highly progressed. Symptoms of colon and rectal cancer are often:

  • Exhaustion

  • Unexplained weight reduction

  • Abdominal discomfort or pain

  • A new change in bathroom habits, like ongoing diarrhea or prolonged constipation

  • Bloody stool

If you or a loved one is suffering these grave colorectal cancer indicators, talk to a gastrointestinal (GI) specialist in Dallas, TX and get a colonoscopy as promptly as possible. You can find a GI doctor near you by contacting our team at Digestive Health Associates of Texas.

#4: When diagnosed in the early stage, colorectal cancer is often highly treatable.

Colon polyps can take around 10 – 15 years to develop into cancer. Precancerous polyps can be extracted long before they start to create trouble, which makes colorectal cancer exceedingly preventable in contrast with various cancers. Patients diagnosed with early, limited colon and rectal cancer have a remarkably improved prognosis than men and women whose colorectal cancer has metastasized. The five-year survival rate for localized colon cancer is around 90%. When found late, the five-year odds of survival sink to less than 10%. Please do not wait for signs to be examined.

#5: You should start receiving colorectal cancer exams when you are 45 years old.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that adults have an initial colonoscopy at age 45 and then once every decade if no irregularities are detected. People with an elevated risk of colorectal cancer should get routine colonoscopies once every 3 – 5 years or as advised by a GI specialist. Several home kit choices for colorectal cancer testing have been authorized by the FDA, but the colonoscopy remains the gold standard for the identification and avoidance of colon cancer.

Visit a gastroenterologist in Dallas, TX

If you need a routine colorectal cancer screening, Digestive Health Associates of Texas can help. We can put you in touch with a local GI physician who will prioritize your needs and health concerns. Individuals facing colorectal cancer and other gastrointestinal conditions can put their faith in our doctor-led system of GI doctors in Dallas, TX. If you want to know more about the fight against colon and rectal cancer or need help with scheduling a colonoscopy, please contact Digestive Health Associates of Texas today.