Cancer is a serious disease regardless of where it decides to grow. Colon cancer is one of those exceptions that beats "serious" for "devastating" primarily because colon cancer is very difficult to diagnose in its early stages and requires some of the most invasive screening and diagnostic procedures.
Colon cancer symptoms are very specific, but are often misdiagnosed as indigestion or other diseases. Symptoms include:
- Unexplained weight loss
- Stomach pain
- Nausea
- Bloody stool
- Unexplained gas, bloating, fullness, & fatigue
- Unusual change in bowel habits
Anyone with a very close family history of colon or rectal cancer should begin screening ten years prior to the age of the family member diagnosis. So, if my dad was diagnosed at age 55 with colon cancer I should begin screening at age 45.
Colon cancer is a very painful, life-shortening disease that can be prevented in most cases with routine screenings. Call your doctor for more information on what he/she recommends for you, and if you don't have a primary care doctor or health insurance please call 360-514-1663 to see if you qualify for a free colon cancer screening!
