A Painless Screening Can Prevent a Deadly Type of Cancer

Published 6:03 pm Tuesday, March 11, 2025

Last year, more than 150,000 Americans were diagnosed with colorectal cancer. More than a third of them died from it. But doctors say a standard screening, performed at the recommended age, could’ve prevented many of those cases.

According to the American Cancer Society, colon cancer is now the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, only behind lung cancer. Colorectal cancer typically begins as noncancerous polyps and growths that form in the colon, rectum, and lower end of the digestive tract.

“Unlike many other cancers, colon cancer is preventable,” said Dr. Jose Andujar, a colorectal surgeon for Wellstar Health System. “When detected in Stage One, it has a 91% survival rate.”

Since 2000, March has been designated National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. It’s a valuable time to educate the community about common signs and symptoms and promote timely screenings that can save lives.

“We’re seeing an increase in patients under 50 years old who are developing early onset colon cancer,” said Andujar.

Doctors now recommend regular colonoscopy screenings beginning at age 45 – or earlier if there’s a family history. Colonoscopies are low-risk, painless procedures that take less than an hour. A patient can be awake, but most choose to be mildly sedated. During the procedure, a flexible tube is inserted into the rectum so that a tiny camera can view the inside of the large intestine. The exam looks for changes, inflammation, swollen and irritated tissues, and precancerous polyps that can be removed immediately.

Andujar said colonoscopies are generally easier than they used to be, primarily because the preparation process (bowel prep) has significantly improved with better-tasting liquids and lower-volume regimens, making it more tolerable for patients.

Symptoms of colon cancer include changes in bowel habits, blood in stool, abdominal pain, inability to empty the bowels completely, unintended weight loss, weakness, and constant fatigue.

“It’s important to talk to your doctor if you experience any of these symptoms,” Andujar said, “but it’s even more important to know that most colon cancer patients have no symptoms during the early stages, which is why a proactive testing approach is essential.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, some studies suggest that people can reduce their risk of developing colorectal cancer by doing the following: