The One Thing You Must Know About Your Colonoscopy
It’s Colon Cancer Awareness Month. And, since colon cancer is the third most common type of cancer and the second leading cause of death in men and women combined in the U.S., it’s all the more important to pay attention to some very important facts about the disease. We asked Larry Altshuler, director of oncology intake at Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and author of Doctor, Say What?, to address what you need to know about colon cancer. The good news: Although 135,000 new cases will be diagnosed this year, if caught on time, colon cancer is one of the most treatable cancers.
What are the four biggest warning signs of colon cancer?
The first is anemia. If you go to the doctor because you’re feeling really tired and your doctor says you’re anemic, he or she needs to look into why. You could have a vitamin B12 deficiency, but an iron deficiency means you’re probably losing blood and your doctor needs to find out why.
The second is blood in your stool but this is tricky. A lot of people come in and say they have hemorrhoids. That can be the case if you’re constipated and/or see blood on the toilet paper, but you need to check it out, especially if you’re older and at higher risk (or have a family history of colon cancer).
The third is a change in bowel consistency. Your stool might be narrower than usual, it may look tarry or black or it may have more mucus. See your doctor as well if you’re experiencing constipation or diarrhea that lasts for more than a week or two.
The fourth sign is unexplained weight loss or fatigue that doesn’t go away with rest.
