InHealth: Colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer is largely preventable. So why is it killing 50,000+ a year?

By Avantika Mishra, MD, Board-Certified Gastroenterologist | March 2022

If you could decrease your chance of getting cancer by 90 percent, would you? Colorectal cancer is highly preventable through timely screening, yet it remains the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men and women in the United States. The American Cancer Society estimates colorectal cancer will kill more than 52,000 people this year and there will be about 150,000 new cases. Why is this?

Colorectal cancer is a silent disease

Colorectal cancer often doesn’t trigger symptoms until later stages. And even then, the symptoms can be minor and similar to those caused by less deadly diseases. How do you know if blood after using the restroom is due to a hemorrhoid or something more serious? Or whether a stomachache or fatigue should cause concern? Err on the side of caution and, regardless of your age, talk to a gastroenterologist immediately if you notice any of the following symptoms: 

• Blood in/on stool
• Change in bowel habits
• Unexplained weight loss
• Change in shape/size of stool
• Anemia 
• Abdominal or rectal pain

Screening can prevent colorectal cancer, but 30% of Americans aren’t getting screened

Screening is leading way to prevent colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer usually starts out as a polyp in the lining of the colon or rectum. These polyps are common, affecting between 15 and 40 percent of adults. They are usually benign, and your gastroenterologist can spot and remove them during a routine colonoscopy. If polyps are not removed, however, there is a chance that they can progress to invasive cancer. This change occurs over time and is more likely as the polyps increase in size. 

That’s why timely screening is crucial. Gastroenterologists can help prevent colorectal cancer through detecting and removing precancerous growths. And if the polyp is already cancerous, they can identify it at an earlier stage when treatment is less with an increased likelihood for success.

So even if you don’t have symptoms, get screened starting at age 45

In 2021, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force announced that routine screening for colorectal cancer should begin at age 45 instead of 50. These updated guidelines are due to a worrisome increase in colorectal cancer for those under 50. While researchers are still unsure of what is causing this alarming trend, they do know that certain factors raise the risk of colorectal cancer including obesity, poor diet, physical inactivity, as well as alcohol and tobacco use. 

Average-risk adults in good health should start screening at age 45 and continue regularly as recommended by their gastroenterologist. Those at high risk should talk to their physician about starting screening even earlier. 

Risk factors: 

• Family history
• History of inflammatory bowel disease
• Lifestyle (smoking, obesity, lack of physical exercise, diet, poor nutrition)
• Age (45+)

By emphasizing the importance of timely screening and recognizing symptoms, we can save lives. 

Florida Digestive Health Specialists

Avantika Mishra, MD, Board-Certified Gastroenterologist

5741 Bee Ridge Road, Suite 550

Sarasota FL 34233

(941) 361-1100