It’s a tough subject to think about, even tougher to talk about it. I was reminded about it last week.
People who know I write this weekly column for the New Mexico Department of Health often ask what I’m writing about next. For some it’s out of their genuine interest. For others it’s small talk in the break room as we heat up our lunches. The days leading up to my sitting down and writing about health for you this week went entirely like this:
“So, Dave, what‘ya gonna write about this time?”
“Colorectal cancer,” I’d tell them.
“Oh,” said one.
“Oooof,” said another.
“Eyuu,” said a third.
And so it went. Something interesting also happened. While there is usually at least some discussion about the next topic I’ll be writing about, this time everyone changed the subject. Everyone.
So armed with what knowledge, I realize this really is a topic we need to talk about in this column, and not just because March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), colorectal cancer is cancer that occurs in the colon or rectum. You get it when abnormal growths, called polyps, form in the colon or rectum. Over time, some polyps may turn into cancer.
Colorectal cancer sometimes it is called colon cancer, for short. Whatever you call it, it’s often a killer that thrives on silence, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
The New Mexico Department of Health’s Colorectal Cancer Program reports of the cancers that effect both men and women, colorectal cancer is the second most frequently diagnosed cancer and the second most common cause of cancer death in our state.
It sounds pretty grim, but it’s a statistic that is frequently caused by our lack of communication about the subject. We don’t want to think about what’s going on “down there”, and we sure don’t want to talk about it. The truth is screening often finds precancerous polyps in the colon or rectum so they can be removed before turning into cancer. Screening also helps find colorectal cancer at an early stage, when treatment often leads to a cure.
Colorectal cancer screening is recommended for most men and women ages 50 through 75, but if you’re at higher risk based on family history or medical conditions, your doctor may suggest you start screening at a younger age. If you are between the ages of 76 and 85, talk with your doctor whether you should be screened. Screening is not recommended after age 85.
There are three common screening tests for colorectal cancer. Ask your doctor which one is best for you:
· Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT): You do this test at home and send stool sample(s) to a doctor’s office or lab. If results are normal, you’re done until next year. If results are abnormal, it doesn’t mean you have colon cancer, it just means you’ll need a colonoscopy to look inside the rectum and entire colon.
· Colonoscopy: A doctor uses a scope to look for polyps or cancer in the rectum and the entire colon. If results are normal, repeat in 10 years. If certain types of polyps are removed, you may need your next colonoscopy sooner.
· Flexible Sigmoidoscopy plus FOBT: After a normal FOBT, a doctor uses a scope to look for polyps or cancer in the rectum and lower third of the colon. If results are normal, you’ll do a FOBT in 2-3 years and another FOBT plus sigmoidoscopy in 5 years. If results are abnormal, you’ll need a colonoscopy to check the entire colon.
Here’s what you can’t do: not think about it, not talk about it, or not get tested. Like many cancers, early detection is often the difference between living a long healthy life or not. As uncomfortable as this subject is, I can’t imagine not talking about it with my doctor.
You see, I happen to be one of those in the high risk group that requires testing before fifty, and I’m grateful for the assurance getting tested has provided me. That’s why I’m writing this column no matter how many people said “eyuu” when I told them. Colorectal cancer is something everyone needs to not be afraid of talking about.
The New Mexico Department of Health’s Colorectal Cancer Program works with clinics and health plans throughout the state to increase colorectal cancer screening statewide. The program contracts with a limited number of New Mexico health care providers to deliver screening and diagnostic services for qualified low income men and women who are uninsured or underinsured. For more information, contact the Department of Health’s Colorectal Cancer Program at: (505) 841-5860.
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David Morgan writes for the New Mexico Department of Health New Mexico Department of Health can also be found online at Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google+, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Instagram.