March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, an opportunity to raise awareness of what people can do to avoid dying from colorectal cancer, the second leading cause of cancer death in America and one of the leading causes of cancer death in people younger than age 50. As a board-certified gastroenterologist, I think there are four things you should consider to protect your health:
— Get screened. Screening for colorectal cancer lowers your risk for developing the disease and dying from it. Everyone age 45 to 75 should be screened. Colonoscopy is the most commonly used test and is highly effective at detecting both colorectal cancer and precancerous polyps. Another option is a two-step approach that starts with a stool-based test you can do at home, which checks for hidden blood, or hidden blood along with other cancer markers. If your lab test comes back abnormal, then a follow-up colonoscopy is required to determine your diagnosis. For those not ready for colonoscopy or a stool-based test, a blood-based option has recently received FDA approval and may be available, though it is not yet a replacement for established screening tests.
— Know your risk. If you are among the nearly 1 in 10 Americans with a family history of colorectal cancer, you may be at increased risk, including for cancer at a young age. Talk to your doctor about your history because they may recommend starting screening at age 40 or even earlier.
— Act on the signs. New and persistent blood in the stool, changes in bowel habits, unexplained weight loss, abdominal pain or anemia can be signs of colorectal cancer. Talk to your doctor if you have these symptoms to determine if you need a colonoscopy, especially if you have never been screened, even if you are younger than age 45.
— Live well. The main drivers of colorectal cancer are age, genetics and lifestyle — factors that are partly within our control. Eating healthy, including adding more fiber and consuming less red and processed meats, avoiding smoking, minimizing alcohol, maintaining a healthy weight and regular exercise can all help reduce your risk.
By the numbers, colorectal cancer is common — but it is also one of the most preventable and treatable cancers when caught early. Getting screened, knowing your risk, acting on warning signs and living well can help keep you from being another statistic.
Gupta is a gastroenterologist at UC San Diego Health and a researcher at UC San Diego School of Medicine who specializes in colorectal cancer screening and prevention.