Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in the United States,
but it is very treatable—and even preventable—with early diagnosis
and regular screenings. Unfortunately, myths about the disease often prevent
people from getting the care they need. Don’t let misinformation
about colon cancer compromise your health. Schedule a screening with a
physician at
Southern Hills Hospital & Medical Center, and keep these facts behind common colon cancer myths in mind.
Myth: You Only Need To Be Screened if You Have Symptoms
Colon cancer screening should be part of everyone’s preventative healthcare regime. Most
people should start having screenings by age 50, but your doctor may recommend
earlier screenings if you have a family history of the disease. When you
get screened for colon cancer, your doctor can find the disease in its
early stages, when it is most treatable, or may find pre-cancerous polyps
that can be removed, preventing cancer from ever developing.
Myth: I Would Know if I Had Colon Cancer
Colon cancer often doesn’t cause any symptoms at all when it is in
its early stages. Pre-cancerous polyps are also asymptomatic. Colon cancer
may cause a change in bowel movements, abdominal distension, unexplained
weight loss, and rectal bleeding, however, these symptoms usually appear
when the disease has progressed. Colon cancer could be present in your
body long before you experience your first symptom.
Myth: Colon Cancer Can’t Be Treated
Colon cancer is a very treatable type of cancer, especially when it is
caught in early stages. Because colon cancer tends to grow slowly, many
patients can be treated with surgery to remove the affected part of the
colon. When the disease has progressed,
chemotherapy and other treatments may be combined with surgery. Colon cancer screenings
and early diagnoses have helped the rate of deaths from the disease decline.
Don’t put off life-saving colon cancer screenings. Talk to your Southern
Hills Hospital & Medical Center physician about your needs for cancer
screening based on your health history. You can learn more about all of
our Las Vegas hospital services, including stroke care, our
maternity hospital, and orthopedic surgery, by calling (702) 880-2700.