Baton Rouge Clinic Health Library

Colorectal Cancer

     Published: 11, 2000

There has indeed been a lot of press coverage of colorectal cancer over the last few months. A well-known TV personality even went so far as to have her colonoscopy broadcast on national television. This attention to colorectal cancer unfortunately is well deserved. There will be more than 135,000 people diagnosed with colorectal cancer in the United States over the next year. Fifty six thousand Americans will die of this disease during the same period of time. It is estimated that at least 50% of these deaths could be avoided with early detection and treatment.

The cause of colorectal cancer is unknown, but it appears to be caused by both inherited and environmental factors. Some data suggests that diets high in fat may increase the risk while low fat and high fiber diets may decrease the risk of colorectal cancer.Obesity, sedentary life style and cigarette smoking may also increase the risk of colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer occurs almost equally in men and women. The vast majority of these tumors occur after the age of fifty and any individual over fifty years of year is considered at risk for colorectal cancer. Some groups, however, are considered to be at particular risk. Anyone with a family history of colorectal cancer or colon polyps in at least one first-degree relative (mother, father or sibling) is at increased risk.

Individuals with a long history of inflammatory bowel disease as well as people who have previously had colon polyps have an increased incidence of colorectal cancer. These facts form the basis for current recommendations regarding screening for colorectal cancer.

Individuals over age fifty should have an annual fecal occult blood test performed. If this is negative then a flexible sigmoidoscopy should be performed and repeated about every three to five years. If the stool test is positive for blood or if the sigmoidoscopy shows polyps, then a more extensive test, a colonoscopy should be performed.

While a "flex sig" can be performed in a physician's office and takes only five to ten minutes, a colonoscopy will require a vigorous bowel preparation and a visit to an outpatient facility for a procedure that will take about 30 minutes and require sedation. Individuals at increased risk for colorectal cancer, as outlined above, should have a colonoscopy as the first screening procedure.

If polyps are detected at colonoscopy they can be removed immediately. Our current understanding of colorectal cancer is that it almost always starts in a polyp and if all polyps are removed then the chance of developing colorectal cancer is greatly diminished if not eliminated.

Additional recommendations to decrease the risk of developing colorectal cancer are dietary changes such as low fat foods combined with high fiber foods such as fruits, vegetables and wheat bran.

The Baton Rouge Clinic, AMC, offers this information as a courtesy service. Please remember that medical knowledge is always evolving and we cannot represent that any of our information is absolutely current. Please consult a physician before taking any medical action based on information gathered from this or any website.