Dec 07, 2011
Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the country. March month is considered as the Colon Cancer Awareness month and many activities and public seminars are held locally and nationally to improve the public awareness of the colon cancer. Colon cancer will develop in 6% of the adult population and almost half will die as a consequence of the disease. Risk factors include family history of colon cancer, personal history of gynecological cancer & breast cancer, obesity, high red meat and animal fat intake. Contrary to the general belief, prevalence of colon cancer is indeed common among vegetarians and Asians.
SYMPTOMS
Colon cancer is common in people over the age of 50, but can also occur in young adults early as in their teens. People may not exhibit any symptoms at all during the early stages of this easily preventable, detectable and treatable malignant neoplasm. Abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, blood in the stool, anemia, and change in the bowel habits are some of the symptoms of colon cancer
SCREENING
Colon cancer screening is recommended for all the adults starting at the age of 50 or even earlier for the people who have a family history of colon cancer and high risk ethnic communities such as African Americans. Stool for hidden blood is the simplest test but it is unreliable and may give false positive/ negative results. Barium enema & virtual colonoscopy (CT) can detect colon cancer, but not sensitive enough to appreciate small pre-cancerous lesions and small cancers. Further, if an abnormality is detected by these x-rays, patient has to undergo colonoscopy for biopsy/polyp removal. Medicare does not approve virtual “colonoscopy “for colon cancer screening.
Colonoscopy has become the gold standard for colon cancer screening and is widely available. Polyps can be removed and biopsies can be taken during the procedure. Complications include bowel perforation, bleeding and sedation related side effects, but these are relatively rare. Now, blood tests are also available to detect rare genes related familial colon cancer syndromes.
THE PRESENT
Colon cancer is a preventable, detectable and treatable malignancy, but yet the second leading cause of cancer death in Georgia. The compliance for colon cancer screening in Georgia is poor and the prevailing screening rate is only 40% for the people over age 50.Not surprisingly, the compliance is even lower in the Indian Community. The message to our Indian community must be clear: Screening saves lives, and everyone should be screened.
If you won’t have a colon cancer check-up for yourself,
do it for the ones who love you & depend on you!
Indran Indrakrishnan, M.D.,
FRCP(London) FRCP ( C ) FACP., FACG
Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine
Board of Directors, Fight colorectal cancer
Colorectal Cancer Advisory Committee, Medical Association of Georgia
Colorectal cancer prevention Task Force of DCH, Georgia
