Quick Facts: Colorectal Cancer

What is colorectal cancer?

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women. In the U.S., one in 8 women will develop breast cancer sometime in her lifetime. In Rhode Island, women are even more likely to develop the disease. Also, it is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths among women, second only to lung cancer.

Colorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer and second most common cause of cancer death in the U.S. Rhode Islanders have a 7% higher death rate from colorectal cancers than the national average. The colon and rectum are part of the digestive tract and together make up the large intestine.

Before colorectal cancer develops, grape-like growths, called polyps, form in the lining of the colon or rectum. These polyps are not cancerous, but may develop into cancerous tumors. Early detection of polyps through regular screening and the removal of the polyps can help prevent colorectal cancer.

Am I at risk?

Factors that increase your chance of colorectal cancer are:

• Risk for colorectal cancer increases with age. Nine in 10 people diagnosed with colorectal cancer are older than 50.
• Family history of colorectal cancer.
• Family history of polyps.
• Previous personal history of polyps, inflammatory bowel disease, or Crohn's disease
• Jews of Eastern European descent (Ashkenzai) have a higher rate of colon cancer. African-Americans are at high risk for developing and dying from colorectal cancers.
• High fat, low fiber diet
• Smoking
• Heavy alcohol consumption
• Obesity
• Lack of exercise

What can I do?

Early detection is the best prevention. If caught early, there is a 90% survival rate for colorectal cancer. For this reason, you should get screened regularly if over age 50 or earlier if you are at high-risk. The following tests are recommended by the National Cancer Institute and the American Gastroenterological Association.

• Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT): A chemical test that detects blood in stool samples (symptom of colorectal cancer). This is simple, but not reliable. It should be done every year.
  
• Rectal Exam: A doctor inserts a gloved, lubricated finger into your rectum to feel for any abnormalities. This is simple, but not very reliable.
  
• Sigmoidoscopy: A slender, lighted tube is inserted into the rectum to allow the doctor to look for polyps inside the rectum and part of the colon. This is an easy test, but examines only half of the colon. This should be done every 5 years combined with FOBT.
  
• Barium Enema: An x-ray examination of the entire colon and rectum. The colon is filled with barium from an enema. Air is added to expand the colon and then x-rays are taken. If a polyp is detected, a colonoscopy is needed.
  
• Colonoscopy: This is the best test. While you're sedated, the doctor places a long, flexible tube (linked to a video camera) thru the rectum and into the colon. This lets the doctor look for polyps along the entire length of the colon. Polyps can be removed by a wire loop that goes thru the tube. This should be done every 10 years.

What if I am diagnosed?

There are many treatment options for colorectal cancer. Talk to your doctor to find out the best option(s) for you.

There are several types of surgery to remove cancerous polyps. Choices of surgeries vary by how early your cancer is detected. Some involve cutting through the abdomen; others do not.

• Radiation therapy uses high-energy radiation to kill cancer cells. Radiation can come from outside the body or from a pellet placed in your body. Usually combined with surgery.
• Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells. These drugs are given in pellets or thru a vein and enter your blood. Usually combined with surgery.

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