FrançaisColorectal Cancer Screening
What is Colorectal cancer?
Colorectal cancer occurs when cells in either the colon or rectum grow uncontrollably. Abnormal growths occur in the colon or rectum known as polyps. These growths over time can develop into cancer and cause disease.
Who is at risk?
The incidence of cases is found equally in both men and women. Individuals aged 50+ are most diagnosed with colorectal cancer, however younger individuals can also be diagnosed.
What are the associated risk factors?
Risk factors that are non-genetic influencing the development of colorectal cancer in patients includes:
-
Obesity
-
Alcohol consumption
-
Smoking
-
High red meat diet or processed meat
-
Physical inactivity/Sedentary behaviour
-
Exposure to ionizing radiation
In addition to this, there exist many unchangeable risk factors such as family history or previous medical conditions such as diabetes.
What are the benefits of getting screened?
Colorectal Cancer screening serves as a tool to help prevent development of cancer to a point where it has spread too much, and it is too late for the patient. There is a very high treatment success rate for colorectal cancer when it is caught early on.
How is colorectal cancer screened?
Colorectal cancer can be screened via a few methods; however, the fecal immunochemical test (FIT) has been recently adapted as the main means of colorectal cancer screening. This test looks at discovering any occult blood in a patient’s stools, which is indicative or potential polyps or tumours forming in the colon
Colonoscopies can also be performed to screen patients for colon cancer. This procedure involves the doctor looking inside the rectum and colon to look for any polyps in those regions.
What are the current screening recommendations?
-
Adults between the age of 60-74 should get screened with one of the available stool tests every 2 years
-
Adults between the ages of 50-59 are recommended to get screened with a stool test every 2 years
-
Over the age of 75, it is not recommended for patients to get screened
Do not hesitate to make an appointment with our clinic in Montreal; we will meet all of your expectations at. We are here to help you at 514 400 3291.