<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\nNearly 90% of colorectal cancer patients are age 50 or older, so doctors recommend that everyone over 45 get a colonoscopy every 10 years. <\/p>\n
But diagnoses in younger adults have been rising: New cases of colorectal cancer went up more than 2% each year among people under 50 from 2012 to 2016, according to the American Cancer Society.<\/p>\n
“There’s an expectation there will be 15% of colorectal cancers in people under 50 not too long from now,” said Dr. Joel Levine, co-director of the Colon Cancer Prevention Program at UConn Health.<\/p>\n
Overall, the rate of new colorectal cancer cases in the US has declined, from around 67 per 100,000 people in 1985 to around 34 in 2019, according to the National Cancer Institute.<\/p>\n
Early signs of the disease can include rectal bleeding or changes in bowel movements such as constipation or diarrhea. Patients with more advanced illness may also experience abdominal pain, fatigue, anemia, weight loss or decreased appetite.<\/p>\n
But Levine said people should get colonoscopies even when they feel healthy.<\/p>\n
“One of the reasons I’m so fussy about not waiting for symptoms is because it leads to, ‘Well, I feel alright, everything’s OK.’ And by the time you have a symptom, the horse is a little bit out of the barn,” he said.<\/p>\n
Colonoscopies allow doctors to examine the colon and remove precancerous growths, which can prevent cancer from forming. However, the procedure requires sedation or anesthesia and can cost thousands of dollars without insurance.<\/p>\n
“Patients have barriers to getting colonoscopies, whether it be insurance, whether it be time off work, they don’t want to do it or they have medical problems that make it higher risk,” Denoya said.<\/p>\n
As an alternative for patients facing these issues, doctors sometimes suggest a stool test. There are various types: One, called Cologuard, can detect changes in a person’s DNA and should be done every three years. Denoya said that test is good at finding cancer but less effective at flagging precancerous growths. <\/p>\n
A second type of stool test, called the FIT, looks for hidden traces of blood that may signal the presence of cancer. Denoya said that test should be performed annually. If either test returns abnormal results, doctors will still recommend a colonoscopy.<\/p>\n
Beyond age, other risk factors for colon cancer include obesity and lifestyle factors like smoking or drinking.<\/p>\n
More than half of colorectal cancer diagnoses in the US are attributable to behavioral patterns, including physical inactivity, diets high in red or processed meat, and a low intake of fruits, vegetables and fiber.<\/p>\n
A family history of colon cancer can also raise one’s risk.<\/p>\n
“If somebody has a parent or sibling that had colon cancer, then that person would start screening 10 years younger than [when] their family member had it,” Denoya said.<\/p>\n
Patients diagnosed early have a high survival rate.<\/p>\n
“If the patient is diagnosed with a stage one or localized cancer, where it’s just in the colon and hasn’t moved elsewhere in the body, it’s about 90% curative just with surgery,” Denoya said.<\/p>\n
More advanced cases may require chemotherapy or radiation. People whose tumors have spread to nearby lymph nodes or areas around the colon have a 72% survival rate after five years. The rate drops to 14% for patients whose cancer has spread to other organs or more distant lymph nodes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n