Colon Cancer Screening: How Often Should You Get A Colonoscopy
He Was Diagnosed With Colon Cancer At 38. Early Warning Signs He Missed
At 38 years old, William Lindley began experiencing stomach issues, including a constant urge to go to the bathroom.
"At the time, I was dipping tobacco and had been for several years…usually after I ate and I dip, I'd have to go to the restroom," he told Healthline.
After a few months of consistent symptoms, he thought he might have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). However, once his condition began interfering with his work as a police officer in Mississippi, he knew something more serious was happening.
"I worked on the interstate doing police work, and so I'd have to come off the road three or four times [during my shift] to go to the restroom, but when I tried, I couldn't go. Then I started seeing blood in my stool," said Lindley.
A foot of his colon was removed, and a colostomy bag was attached. A PET scan determined that his liver was affected, too. He traveled to MD Anderson in Texas, which could offer him more effective treatments, including chemotherapy.
"After four rounds of chemo, I took off a month before I had the liver resection, which they did robotically. They got all four spots [of cancer] and removed about 5% of the liver," said Lindley.
A few months later, spots showed up on his lung, which required more chemotherapy and lung surgery in January 2025. Now, Lindley requires no further treatment, and he continues to follow up with his doctors.
"I feel great. I'm really blessed that my body's been able to heal fast," he said. "I'm ready to go back to working out."
Now 41 years old, his perspective on life has changed, including his decision to not let work carry over into his personal life.
"I've always been a big family guy, but when my job is done, I make sure that I spend time with my family and not take things that I used to take so serious," said Lindley.
"We can be stubborn. We don't want to go get checked. We don't want to say there's a problem, we don't want to deal with it," he said. "At the time I was diagnosed, I had no idea that colorectal cancer was becoming an issue with younger and younger people. If I had seen a doctor sooner, maybe I would have been in stage 1."
Sharing his story with friends and family has resulted in some of them getting screened with colonoscopy.
"A couple found a few polyps and got those removed before it became any kind of issue," said Lindley.
The White House recently issued a statement stating that every year, 150,000 Americans are diagnosed with colorectal cancer.
Christine Parseghian, MD, associate professor of gastrointestinal medical oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center, said there has been a steady decrease in the incidence of colorectal cancer in adults over the age of 50 in the last several decades.
"This is due in large part to changing patterns in risk factors, such as reductions in smoking, increased use of aspirin, and particularly the uptake of CRC screening [with] colonoscopies," she told Healthline.
"The reasons are complex and not fully understood, but may include dietary changes, obesity, sedentary lifestyles, and genetic predispositions," said Parseghian. "Physical inactivity, sedentary behavior, and increased caloric intake progressively lead to the development of obesity — an established risk factor for early-onset CRC."
Although cases of early-onset colorectal cancer more often have a genetic component, approximately 80% of newly diagnosed young-onset CRC patients do not have an inherited predisposition.
Lindley falls into this group. Because his mother lives with adenoid carcinoma and his grandmother died from pancreatic cancer, both he and his mother were genetically tested. Neither carry any known genes that put them at increased risk for cancer.
"[We] have many patients who live healthy lifestyles with no known genetic risk factors who are diagnosed at a young age and otherwise seem perfectly healthy," said Parseghian.
More research is needed to determine the reasons for this. However, she said some researchers have found links to disruptions in the gut microbiome composition that may be caused by dietary changes or antibiotics. These disruptions could lead to inflammation and increased risk of several diseases, including colorectal cancer.
"Others have discovered that, as young-onset CRC tumors are often more aggressive, these cancers are more likely to suppress the body's immune responses to cancer," said Parseghian.
"We still have much to learn about the potential contributing factors in young-onset CRC, but progress is being made steadily with institutional research programs focused on young-onset CRC here at MDACC and other large academic centers across the world," Parseghian said.
"Colonoscopies are the best way to prevent CRC. Increasing rates of colonoscopies have resulted in steep declines in incidence among adults ages 50 years and older," said Parseghian.
When colonoscopy finds pre-malignant polyps, they are removed, which eliminates the risk of them transforming into invasive cancer.
"If tumor is found during colonoscopy, the earlier it is found may make surgical resection easier and cure more attainable," Parseghian said, "That 24–48 hours of dietary inconvenience and bowel preparation can truly prevent a lifetime of suffering."
Other general risk-reducing recommendations include:
Common symptoms in early-onset colorectal cancer include:
"Studies suggest that painless bleeding could precede other colorectal cancer symptoms by 2 to 3 years, and that patients with early-onset colorectal cancer who are symptomatic might wait up to 6 months before seeking assistance," said Parseghian.
Regardless of your age, if you experience any symptoms that may indicate warning signs of colon cancer, you should reach out to your doctor.
"We need to raise awareness of this deadly disease, particularly in the young adult population," Parseghian said.
What Are The First Signs Of Colon Cancer? Common Symptoms And How To Prevent
Colon cancer is one of the most common cancers in the United States and cases among younger adults are rising. Early detection is critical, as symptoms may not appear until the cancer has progressed.
"It's important for people to realize that colon cancer is undergoing an age shift, meaning that there are more young people, particularly under the age of 50, being diagnosed with colon cancer," said Dr. Arif Kamal, chief patient officer of the American Cancer Society.
Signs and symptoms of colon cancerThe first sign to look for is abnormal bleeding. Knowing if there is blood in your stool can be somewhat tricky, as blood can vary in appearance — from bright red to dark or tarry — depending on where it originates in the colon.
Blood changes color over time. If the bleeding begins in the earlier parts of the colon, Dr. Kamal said it may turn from bright red to dark or brown.
Other colorectal cancer signs and symptoms include persistent changes in bowel habits, such as diarrhea, constipation, narrow stools, or still feeling that you need to have a bowel movement despite already having one.
Courtesy: American Cancer Society
If food isn't passing through the colon normally, that could be a sign something is obstructing the path, Dr. Kamal said. Abdominal bloating, pain and unexplained weight loss are also red flags.
Though colon cancer has traditionally affected older adults, more cases are occurring in younger individuals. Dr. Kamal said, emphasizing that people with a family history of colorectal or gastrointestinal cancers have an increased risk.
"While colon cancer does happen in people of all ages, I would tell you the youngest person I've seen was in their teenage years," Dr. Kamal said.
Screening for colon cancerEarly detection significantly increases the chances that a person will recover from cancer. For colorectal cancers, screening through a colonoscopy remains the most important tool.
For people at average risk for colorectal cancer, the American Cancer Society recommends screening begin at age 45.
"You're putting a long, thin camera into the colon to look around. What you're looking for is polyps, those abnormal, precancerous, or cancerous growths," Dr. Kamal said. "The benefit of a colonoscopy is that if you see something abnormal — right then and there, you can cut it out and take it out."
"The idea is to find a precancerous growth before it ever turns into cancer," Dr. Kamal said.
At-home stool tests are also available for people hesitant about colonoscopies. These tests detect either hidden blood or abnormal DNA in the stool.
If results are positive, a colonoscopy is necessary for confirmation and removal of any precancerous growths, Dr. Kamal said.
Prevention of cancerThere are factors that increase your risk that you can't control but there are many that you can control to prevent colorectal cancer:
Courtesy: American Cancer Society
Many people may need screening before the standard age of 45, especially if they have a family history of colon or other gastrointestinal cancers, Dr. Kamal said.
The American Cancer Society offers the free Cancer Risk 360 assessment tool to help assess risk.
Signs And Symptoms Of Colorectal Cancer
KXAN's Avery Travis and Will DuPree sit down with Dr. Daniel Zaunbrecher, a colorectal surgeon with St. David's South and Texas Oncology. He shares the rising number of younger people being diagnosed with colorectal cancer and what signs to look out for.
Comments
Post a Comment