HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — It's Colon Cancer Awareness Month. According to the American Cancer Society, excluding skin cancers, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in both men and women in the United States. This Wellness Wednesday, FOX54 spoke to one Crestwood Physician who shares the importance of regular colonoscopy screenings.
Dr. Smita Shah with Crestwood Medical Center said although some may not like to hear it, the best and the golden test to find colon cancer is colonoscopy. "It's a conversation that sometimes people feel embarrassed [about], but colonoscopy is the most important thing, the most important risk that you can modify for yourself, especially if you are age 45 and above."
Your first screening colonoscopy, if you have no risk factors, should begin at age 45, and then if it is normal, you're good for ten years. "However, if you have a family history of colon cancer or colon polyps, you need to start earlier. You need to start at age 40 or ten years before the youngest person in your family that had colon cancer."
Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among men and women. "It is the second cancer after breast cancer that is totally preventable and treatable. Even breast cancer isn't preventable. But, colon cancer arises from colon polyps. You remove the polyps, you prevent cancer."
Another thing to be mindful of is dietary choices. "You can eat a high fiber diet, cut the amount of red meat. Again, as I said, these are only modifiable diet factors. Even though you have to go through, I guess, a day of, you know, discomfort with going through the lovely colon preparation, colonoscopy is still the best way."