Gynecologic & Colorectal Cancers

Colon & Rectal Cancers

• Risks include family or personal history of colorectal cancer; personal history of polyps or bowel disease; increasing age, especially after age 50; high-fat diet; lack of exercise; being overweight, especially in the midsection; smoking; and alcohol use.
  
• American Cancer Society colorectal cancer screening guidelines state that, beginning at age 50, both men and women should follow one of the screening options below:
  1. Yearly stool blood test
  2. Flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years
  3. Yearly stool blood test plus flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years
  (Of the first three options, the ACS recommends the third option, that is, stool blood test every year plus flexible sigmoidoscopy every five years.)
  Or you may have:
  4. Double contrast barium enema every 5 to 10 years
  5. Colonoscopy every 10 years
  
• For the stool blood test, the take-home, multiple-sample method should be used.
  
• If something abnormal is found, a colonoscopy should be done.
  
• While a digital rectal exam (DRE) is often done as part of a regular physical exam, it should not be used as a stand-alone test for colorectal cancer. For a DRE, the doctor examines the patient’s rectum with a gloved finger.
  
• People with certain risk factors should begin screening earlier or have screening more often.

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