"Colon cancer if caught in its early stages is curable in most cases," stated Barry Glanzman, MD, Former Chief of Gastroenterology at Huntington. The problem, noted Dr. Glanzman, is that early on in the disease, there are often no symptoms. However, he recommends that individuals speak to their physician immediately if any of the following symptoms are noticed:

. Rectal bleeding
. Alteration of bowel habit
. Change in stool shape
. Unexplained abdominal pain or weight loss

"It is also important to never write off symptoms or make assumptions," Dr. Glanzman emphasized. "You may be right most of the time, but if you are wrong once the results can be devastating." In the absence of symptoms, national guidelines call for colon cancer screening with colonoscopy beginning at age 50 and on a regular basis determined in consultation with a physician thereafter. In addition, annual testing to detect the presence of traces of blood in the stool (fecal occult testing) should be performed beginning at age 50. Individuals who have additional risk factors should discuss with their physician whether screening should begin earlier. "Anybody with a family history of colon cancer is at higher risk," Dr. Glanzman said. "Even a family history of polyps puts individuals at a somewhat increased risk for polyps, which may be precancerous."

Other factors that signal an increased risk for colon cancer are:
. A history of any other malignancies, such as breast cancer
. Skin tags anywhere on the body, which may be correlated with
polyps

More information from the National Cancer Institute

MARCH 2002