LONE TREE, Colo. — A Colorado doctor said she's seeing colon and rectal cancers in younger populations. The guidelines have changed in recent years, and regular screenings are now recommended to start at age 45 instead of age 50.
Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the country.
“Over the past 30 years of studying colon cancer, we've had a dramatic decline in the incidence and death rate from colon cancer, however, we've noticed that our younger population, those in their 40s and 50s have exponentially increased,” Dr. Carlene Chun, a gastroenterologist at Peak Gastroenterology in Lone Tree, said.
March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. The best screening tool is a colonoscopy, Dr. Chun said. It's not something most people look forward to, but the preparation has gotten a little easier. Patients are able to eat some foods the day before the procedure and clearing the bowel can be done with a pill. A colonoscopy has a 95% effective rate at finding precancerous legions.
"If we find a colon polyp, we know that you have the ability to make polyps, and so we would have you come back for your next screening sooner," Dr. Chun said, adding that the discovery of an advanced lesion or cancer could lead to possible surgery.
Dr. Chun said patients do not typically need a referral to begin screenings at age 45. If the screening is clear, most people don't need to come back for another colonoscopy for 10 more years. Those with a family history of colon cancer are advised to start screening at age 40, or 10 years before the age that their family members were diagnosed.
Denver7 is committed to making a difference in our community by standing up for what's right, listening, lending a helping hand and following through on promises. See that work in action, in the videos above.