March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month
March is Colon Cancer Awareness month and The Regional Medical Center in Greenville is doing their part to educate the public with open forums. Allowing patients to ask questions on why screenings should be done at least once a year.
In the past 30 to 40 years colon cancer cases have been creeping up across the state. That’s why preventing cancer should be the overall goal and testing for colon cancer is important especially for those over the age of 45. 1 in 20 people are affected by colon cancer. It’s the 4th most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death.
Some red flags are family history of colon cancer, blood in your stool or changes in bowel movement over a noticeable long period of time. Getting screened for colon cancer is very important. Because some people are at risk for colon cancer without realizing it.
“At a first time colonoscopy between 40 to 45 people will find precancerous polyps with no problems they’re 45 they have no problems but almost half of them have pre-cancerous polyps, there is no way for us to screen for that other than to look and evaluate.” says Dr. Brandon Slagley
Everyone is advised to begin colon cancer testing at age 45. If you have a parent who was diagnosed with colon cancer you should begin testing at either age 45 or 10 years earlier than the age of your parents’ diagnosis– whichever age is youngest.
