DVIDS – Information – Colorectal Most cancers Consciousness Month: Early detection is the most effective prevention

By Bernard S. Little

WRNMMC Command Communications

Colorectal Most cancers Consciousness Month, noticed throughout March, seeks to extend the general public’s information in regards to the illness and encourage individuals to get screened for it.

Based on the American Most cancers Society, estimates for the variety of colorectal cancers in america for 2024 are about 106,590 new circumstances of colon most cancers (54,210 in males and 52,380 in ladies), and about 46,220 new circumstances of rectal most cancers (27,330 in males and 19,890 in ladies).

“The speed of individuals being recognized with colon and rectal cancers every year has dropped general for the reason that mid-Nineteen Eighties, primarily as a result of extra individuals are getting screened and altering their lifestyle-related threat components,” the American Most cancers Society added.

“The colon and rectum, additionally known as the massive gut, are the final a number of ft of the gastrointestinal tract and are accountable largely for absorbing water previous to evacuation of stool. The human physique is made up of cells that develop and divide often all through our lives. Colorectal most cancers (CRC) happens when these cells within the massive gut start to develop or divide abnormally, invade into the wall of the colon, and generally lymph nodes or different organs. CRC is usually found on a colonoscopy, whether or not completed for signs or as a screening examination, really helpful for everybody at age 45,” said Military Lt. Col. (Dr.) Mary O’Donnell, chief of colon and rectal surgical procedure at Walter Reed Nationwide Navy Medical Heart (WRNMMC).

“People who find themselves in good well being and with a life expectancy of extra and with a life expectancy of greater than 10 years ought to proceed common colorectal most cancers screening via age 75,” in accordance with the American Most cancers Society.

“Danger components for colorectal most cancers embody growing age, a household historical past of colorectal most cancers or colon polyps, and diets excessive in animal fats and low in calcium, folate and fiber,” O’Donnell defined. She recommends individuals eat loads of vegetables and fruit and keep away from smoking and extreme alcohol use. “It’s really helpful that adults eat 25 to 35 grams of fiber day by day.”

“Sadly, colorectal most cancers can typically be asymptomatic,” O’Donnell defined. “This is the reason screening via procedures like colonoscopy are so vital. The present advice for an individual with no household historical past of colon or rectal most cancers, or unknown historical past, is to obtain their first screening examination for colorectal most cancers at age 45.”

O’Donnell defined that signs of colorectal most cancers may embody, “however will not be restricted to,” blood within the stool, weight reduction, modifications in stool habits or caliber, constipation or feeling that the bowel doesn’t empty fully, fatigue, anemia, belly ache or bloating, nausea, and vomiting.

The American Most cancers Society shares that colorectal most cancers disproportionately impacts African People greater than different ethnic teams. “In america, African People are about 20 p.c extra prone to get colorectal most cancers and about 40 p.c extra prone to die from it than most different teams,” the society added.

“Whereas the explanations for this are advanced, entry to well being care exams and screening definitely contributes,” O’Donnell mentioned. She shared that screening exams, like colonoscopy, are the easiest way to detect these cancers early or earlier than polyps can develop into most cancers.

“Colonoscopy permits your physician to take away polyps, which, if left in place, might develop into most cancers. All beneficiaries in our army well being care system have entry to this screening examination at age 45 or earlier if prescribed by your physician. You will need to speak to your physician about any signs you’re having regarding CRC or you probably have a household historical past of CRC or colon polyps,” O’Donnell said.

“It is usually vital to notice, particularly in our army inhabitants, that older age is a threat issue for colon most cancers, however 13 p.c of People recognized with colorectal most cancers in 2023 had been beneath age 50. Discuss to your physician a couple of screening colonoscopy at age 45 or you probably have regarding signs of CRC.”

“Fortunately, a lot of colorectal most cancers is preventable via screening exams like colonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy take away pre-cancerous polyps earlier than they will develop into most cancers,” O’Donnell continued. “Eat a food regimen low in animal fats and excessive in calcium, folate and fiber. Eat loads of vegetables and fruit. It is usually really helpful that adults eat 25 to 35 grams of fiber day by day, train often, don’t smoke, and reduce alcohol consumption.”

Though O’Donnell recommends individuals start screening for colorectal most cancers at age 45, she explains that if an individual’s first-degree relative has had colorectal most cancers, polyps run of their household, or there are different threat components, screening might have to start earlier than 45.

She defined that small, early colon cancers could be handled by a gastroenterologist via superior colonoscopy strategies. “The vast majority of colon cancers are handled via surgical elimination of a portion of the colon and its related lymph nodes. Chemotherapy could be vital along with surgical procedure primarily based upon the stage of the most cancers. Radiation and chemotherapy are sometimes used to deal with rectal cancers previous to surgical procedure.”

“All of those companies, wound ostomy care nursing, nutritionists and habits well being specialists in cancer-patient care can be found at WRNMMC,” O’Donnell added. “The John P. Murtha Most cancers Heart at Walter Reed is nationally acknowledged by the American School of Surgeons and has been designated by the Assistant Secretary of Protection for Well being Affairs as the one Division of Protection Most cancers Heart of Excellence.”

“One of the vital widespread questions I get from sufferers is, ‘Will I want a bag?’ or ‘Do I’ve to have an ostomy bag?,’” O’Donnell continued. “This is without doubt one of the most feared dangers of intestinal surgical procedure that sufferers have in my clinic and sometimes results in the avoidance of a primary colonoscopy in sufferers. You will need to know that needing an ostomy or stoma, the place stool is emptied right into a bag on the belly wall, is usually not vital within the remedy of those cancers. Whereas we do create an ostomy throughout a few of our surgical procedures, it’s typically short-term, to lower the dangers of a process. If an ostomy must be everlasting to make sure the remedy of a most cancers, we’ve got devoted wound ostomy care nurses skilled in serving to sufferers alter to having a stoma. Many individuals have fully regular lives with an ostomy bag and our objective is for the affected person to be most cancers free.”

O’Donnell encourages individuals to go to the Walter Reed colorectal surgical procedure web site for a listing of situations handled by her staff and companies provided. The web site is situated at https://walterreed.tricare.mil/Well being-Providers/Hospital-Care-Surgical procedure/Colorectal-Surgical procedure.