There are several risk factors for developing colorectal cancer. Having one or more of these risk factors does not guarantee that a person will develop colorectal cancer; it just increases the chances. While you cannot change your past medical history, your genetics, or your age, you can impact your future medical history. Getting appropriate screenings and developing a healthy lifestyle can increase your odds of staying healthy longer.

Don’t let the price of testing keep you from getting the care you need. Medicare covers colorectal cancer screening and will pay part or all of the cost of a fecal occult blood test, flexible sigmoidoscopy, barium enema, or colonoscopy. If fees are a concern, then talk to your doctor or local hospital about possible sliding-scale fees based on your income.

Women are just as likely as men to develop colorectal cancer, but age is a risk factor. The older you get, the more likely you are to develop colorectal cancer. Once you hit forty years old, your chances of developing cancer increase, but especially so after the age of fifty. In some cases it can occur in teenagers and in other young adults.

For some people, seeking the advice of a genetic counselor may be worthwhile. Medical researchers have learned that changes in specific genes may well raise the risk of colorectal cancer. If there are several cases of colorectal cancer in your family, you may find it helpful to talk with a genetic counselor.

Medical researchers propose that your diet may place you at a higher risk for colorectal cancer. Diets that are high in fat and calories and low in fiber may pose a higher risk. In addition, your family genetics may play a role in how likely you are to develop colorectal cancer. If you are a close relative of someone who has had colorectal cancer or another chronic digestive condition, you may have a higher-than-average risk of developing colorectal cancer.

Your own medical story impacts your likelihood of getting colorectal cancer. Women who have a history of cancer in the ovary, uterus, or breast may have a slightly higher chance of developing colorectal cancer. If a person has already had colorectal cancer, then they are at a higher risk of developing colorectal disease a second time.

Symptoms of Colorectal Cancer

Many cases of colorectal cancer have no symptoms. That’s why annual screening is so important. However, if you have these symptoms and either have not yet been tested or it has been longer than a year since you were tested, then contact your physician:

• Frequent gas pains

• Blood in or on the stool

• Diarrhea or constipation

• A feeling that the bowel has not emptied completely

• Blood in the stool or rectal bleeding

• Persistent change in bowel habits

• Change in the shape of the stool (such as pencil-thin feces, or presence of black, tar-like stool)

• Pain in the abdomen or rectum

• Cramping

• A frequent feeling of fullness in the rectum

• Frequent false urges to defecate

• Persistent or alternating bouts of constipation or diarrhea

• Weakness and fatigue

• Weight loss and loss of appetite

• Soilage

• Protrusion from the anal opening

• Ulcer near the anus

Screening for Colorectal Cancer

According to the American Cancer Society, colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in the United States. The good news is that early diagnosis often leads to a complete cure. With proper screening, colon cancer can be detected before symptoms develop, when it is most curable. People over fifty should be screened for colorectal cancer by their physician. Several tests are recommended to screen for colon cancer:

• An annual fecal occult blood test, which checks for minute traces of blood in the stool.

• A flexible colonoscopy once every five to seven years to detect colorectal cancer at its earliest and most treatable stage.

• If, for some reason, a colonoscopy cannot be performed, then a double contrast barium enema (DCBE), a series of X-rays of the colon and rectum, is a reasonable second choice. The patient is given an enema with a solution that contains barium, which outlines the colon and rectum on the X-rays.

• A digital rectal exam (DRE) is an annual exam in which the doctor inserts a lubricated, gloved finger into the rectum to feel for abnormal areas.

• A colonoscopy, performed as often as your physician suggests, is recommended for high-risk patients of any age with prior history of cancer, a strong family history of the disease, or a predisposing chronic digestive condition such as inflammatory bowel disease.

Colorectal cancer screening costs range from $1,400 to $3,000, and more than half of Americans do not have guaranteed health insurance coverage for them. You can help advocate for better coverage by going to http://coveryourbutt.org .

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