Written by Laura Bottom, SIU School of Medicine
6,500 adults are diagnosed with colorectal cancer every year and 2,500 of those diagnosed die from this disease in Illinois, according to the American Cancer Society. Colorectal Cancer is the third leading cancer killer in both men and women in the U.S., but getting a regular colorectal cancer screening can save your life.
Here’s how it works: cancer is named for the part of the body that it is first discovered, it forms when cells in the body grow and divide out of control. Colorectal cancer occurs in the colon or rectum, which is part of the large intestine. Colon cancer usually starts from a polyp, a growth of cells on the lining of the colon that should not be there. Over time it could turn into cancer. “Regular colorectal screening is one of the most powerful tools for preventing colorectal cancer,” says SIU Center for Family Medicine’s Care Coordinator Sharron Wise, RN, BSN. “The screening can remove polyps before they develop into cancer, which can take 10-15 years and find it in its early stages when it is highly curable.”
Only 62.5% of eligible Illinoisans get regular colorectal cancer screenings (American Cancer Society). Don’t wait to be tested because precancerous polyps and early stage colorectal cancer do not always cause symptoms. If you do experience symptoms, it may be too late. These symptoms could include, but are not limited to:

• Blood in/on your stool
• Bloating or stomach pain that does not go away
• Losing weight without knowing why
• Fatigue
• Diarrhea or constipation

Colorectal cancer can be easily prevented by keeping up to date with your screenings. Chances of developing colorectal cancer increase when you turn age 50, but if everyone aged 50 years and older had regular screening tests, at least 60% of deaths from this cancer could be avoided.
The Bottom Line: GET SCREENED TODAY!
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