Cancer Services of Greater Baton Rouge: Colorectal Cancer ...

March is colorectal cancer awareness month. Colorectal cancer is the fourth most common cancer among men behind skin, prostate and lung cancer, and the fourth most common among women after skin, breast and lung cancer. The risk of colorectal cancer increases with age with more than 90 percent of cases occurring in people who are 50 years old or older (CDC).?

According to the NCI, risk factors for colorectal cancer are:

• being 50 years old or older, ?
• ?having a family history of colon cancer or polyps,
• colorectal polyps,
• a personal history of cancer, especially ovarian, endometrial or breast cancer,
• ulcerative colitis or Crohn?s disease,
• hereditary conditions like familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) and hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer (HNPCC),
• a diet of high fat and low calcium, folate and fiber and
• cigarette smoking.

It is important to get tested for colorectal cancer if you are 50 years old or older because it can save your life. Many cancers in the early, treatable stages do not cause symptoms so it is important to get tested regularly. Symptoms usually begin to emerge when the cancer has progressed. Some of the symptoms of colorectal cancer include:

• Constipation or Diarrhea
• Blood in or on the stool
• Weight loss with no known reason
• Fatigue
• Vomiting or nausea
• The sensation that the bowel does not empty completely
• Narrow stools (which indicate an obstruction in the colon)
• Chronic abdominal discomfort, like gas pains or cramps or feeling bloated or full

These symptoms may be caused by something other than cancer, but it is important to visit a doctor so that a proper diagnosis can be made. For more information about colon cancer or screenings in our area, call the Cancer Services Library/Resource Center at 225-927-2273.?

Each week, Cancer Services posts a Cancer Q&A in the Health section of The Advocate.

Source: http://cancerservices.blogspot.com/2012/03/colorectal-cancer-awareness-month.html

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