By Pamela Glason Thornton
Staff Writer
Columbus Post

Increasing awareness about the importance of screenings reduces the risk of colon cancer. The four types of screenings for colorectal cancer are colonoscopy, or sigmoidoscopy, digital rectal examination and the fecal occult blood screening.
“Everyone who reaches the age of 50 years old should begin screening. Depending on whether there is a polyp or not, the next colonoscopy could be in three, five or 10 years. Alternatively, one could do a digital rectal examination and fecal occult blood screening every year, with flexible sigmoidoscopy every five years,” said Yiqing Xu, M.D., PhD, who is an assistant professor in internal medicine and a physician at The Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Center.
Pam Purdom conducts programs at health departments around the state as a Comprehensive Cancer Program consultant for the Ohio Department of Health.
“In doing educational programs, we have found that nobody likes to talk about their colon,” said Purdom.
Colon cancer can be prevented. Screenings detect cancer and pre-cancerous colon polyps that can be removed before reaching cancerous stages during the colonoscopy or procedures ordered by the physician.
The risk of colorectal cancer increases for individuals who are over 50 years old, have a family history of colon cancer and certain hereditary cancer syndromes.
“Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP), which affects multiple family members, is where individuals develop numerous polyps in the colon and rectum starting from the teenage years. Some of the polyps will turn into cancer,” said Xu.
The second major colon cancer genetic syndrome, Hereditary Non-Polyposis Colon Cancer (HNPCC), can happen to people younger than 50 years old. Families with the syndrome also have a higher incidence of uterine cancer. Tests, frequent screening and preventive surgery to remove most of the colon and rectum are available for genetic syndromes.
Animal fat, red meat, daily alcohol intake and long-term smoking have been found to increase colon cancer risk and should be avoided. On the other hand, diets high in vitamins C, D, E may reduce the risk of colon cancer.
Certain symptoms warrant added testing.
“The development of bowel movement habit changes, rectal bleeding, iron-deficiency anemia, or positive detectable stool occult blood testing mean an individual should have a colonoscopy examination,” said Xu.
Individuals with the presence of more risk factors should have colonoscopies more frequently and should start them at a younger age.
African Americans are the most likely to get colorectal cancer and are the ethnic group with the highest rate of death from colorectal cancer. At 59.3 deaths out of 100,000, the African-American death rate for the disease is 30 percent higher than for whites.
Purdom notices a lack of representation of different ethnic groups in audiences.
“When we go to communities, we are not looking at specific ethnic groups but looking to have groups represented,” said Purdom.
ODH-sponsored colorectal cancer summits examine the cancer incidence and mortality rates in counties around the state and work to increase the priorities and rates within each community.
“It is one of the most preventable cancers and the community is vested in the prevention of colorectal cancer,” said Purdom.
The Ohio Department of Health has brochures available. For more information, call 614-728-3106.