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To Your Health March 2010 Volume 2, Issue 3 Colorectal Cancer: What You Need to Know It’s not dinner party conversation, or a part of every day social discussions. It’s not something you hear about on television or radio. But it is something everyone should be aware of. It is colorectal cancer. What does the word ‘colorectal’ mean? The colon is the large intestine or the lower part of your digestive system. The rectum is the last several inches of the colon. What is cancer? In a healthy person, cells grow and divide in an orderly way to keep the body working the way it is supposed to. When someone has cancer, the healthy cells change. Cells grow out of control because the cells keep dividing even when they aren't needed. In this Issue Risk factors 1 Symptoms 1 Screening tests 2 What are the risk factors? Risk factors are things that increase a person’s chance of getting a disease. Some risk factors for colorectal cancer are: Being 50 or older Family history Low fiber, high fat diet Lack of physical activity Smoking Having had colorectal cancer before Having conditions that cause inflammation in the lining of the colon Having polyps What are polyps? Polyps are clumps of precancerous cells on the inside lining of the colon. Polyps can look like a mushroom, or be flat against wall of the colon. Removing polyps before they become cancerous can prevent colon cancer. What are some symptoms? People with polyps or colorectal cancer don't feel different, especially at first. If there are symptoms, they may include: Blood in or on your stool (bowel movement) Pains, aches, or cramps in your Who gets colorectal cancer? stomach that don't go away In the United States, colorectal cancer is the Change in bowel habits second most common cancer killer for both men (constipation or diarrhea) and women. African Americans are more likely to Losing weight without trying die of colorectal cancer than any other group. White people have the second highest rates of The only way to know what is causing your deaths from colorectal cancer. symptoms is to see your doctor. University of Illinois Extension is the flagship outreach effort of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, offering educational programs to residents of all of Illinois’ 102 counties. Through learning partnerships that put knowledge to work, U of I Extension’s programs are aimed at making life better, healthier, safer and more profitable for individuals and their communities. University of Illinois * U.S. Department of Agriculture * Local Extension Councils Cooperating University of Illinois Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment. CHECK THIS OUT! Urban Community Health is on the web! URBAN COMMUNITY HEALTH EDUCATION http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/cook/commhealth.html To Your Health is a quarterly newsletter brought to you by University of Illinois Extension, Urban Community Health in Cook County. PREVENTION INSPIRATION University of Illinois Extension Cook County 2205 Enterprise Drive Suite 501 Westchester, IL 60154 Tel: 708-449-4320 Fax: 708-492-1805 Email: [email protected] Contact University of Illinois Extension for more information. Health education workshops also are available. Sources: http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/colorectal/basic_info/index.htm http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/colon-and-rectal/page4 http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/colon-cancer/DS00035/DSECTION=risk-factors http://medicalimages.allrefer.com/large/colon-cancer-series.jpg http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/colorectal/pdf/Basic_FS_Eng_Color.pdf olorectal March is C th. eness Mon r a w A r e c Can Screening Tests for Colorectal Cancer FACT: If everybody aged 50 or older had regular screening tests, as many as 60% of deaths from colorectal cancer could be prevented. Colorectal cancer screening is recommended for men and women ages 50–75 years old. Screening tests find and remove polyps before they turn into cancer. Screening tests also can find colorectal cancer early. Fecal Occult Blood Testing At home, you get a small amount of stool to bring to your doctor or a lab. The stool samples are checked for blood. This should be done once a year. the test, the doctor can remove most polyps and some cancers. This should be done every 10 years. Flexible Sigmoidoscopy This is similar to a colonoscopy except a doctor puts a shorter, lighted tube into your rectum to check for polyps or cancer inside the rectum and lower part of your colon. This should be done every 3-5 years. Many insurance plans and Medicare help pay for colorectal cancer screening tests. Colonoscopy, To find out about Medicare coverage, call A doctor uses a long, thin, flexible, lighted 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) or tube to check for polyps or cancer inside visit www.medicare.gov. the rectum and the entire colon. During