Nikki Sommer, a nurse practitioner with Key West Surgical Group, joined Good Morning Keys on Keys Talk 96.9/102.5FM this morning for Medical Matters.
March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness month, and it’s important to be proactive.
Sommer said, “Colonoscopies are a very big part of what we do. So colorectal cancer, it’s cancer that starts in the colon or the rectum, which are parts of your large intestine, and this is a large part of your digestive system. So what people don’t realize is colon cancer doesn’t start as cancer. It starts as a small growth, which is a polyp. So if you’ve ever had a colonoscopy and you’ve been told you have a polyp, you know exactly what I’m talking about, because that means either you’re going to come back in three years or five to have another one, and if you don’t have any polyps, you get a clean bill of health for 10 years. So why does this matter? Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers in both men and women, but it’s also one of the most preventable, because we can find and remove polyps before they become cancer, you have a better outcome. So this is a huge deal. We’re not just dealing with detecting disease. We can actually prevent it before it starts and becomes something big.”
The polyp is a growth on the inside lining of the colon.
Sommer said, “Most are benign, meaning they do not cause cancer, but some can cause cancer over time. That’s why it’s important you get screening regularly based on your doctor recommendation. There are three main types of polyps you need to be aware of. So the first one, the adenoma, these are the most important, because these are the ones that turn into cancers. They are considered pre cancerous, like when you go to the skin doctor, and they remove a pre cancer skin lesion, it is a pre cancer skin lesion in your colon. So if you get screened routinely, these get removed, and you don’t have to worry about it, they don’t turn into cancer. So if you’ve had a colonoscopy and you’re told to come back in three years, you most likely had an adenoma. So putting it off even one more year could be a game changer. So stick to whatever your treatment plan is with your doctor. If they say every three years, stick to every three years, ask your doctor what polyp you had, because most likely it was an adenoma.”
Hyperplastic polyp is another one.
Sommer said, “These are very low risk. They’re often small, and they usually are found on the lower colon. Most of the times they do not turn into cancer. So you will go back in five years to have another repeat colonoscopy. Again, if you’re told to come back in five years, you probably have hyperplastic polyps. Now, something interesting can happen. Even though they say they are small, they can grow very, very large. Meaning, if you turn 45 and you don’t decide to have a colonoscopy until you’re 75, you may not have a cancerous polyp, but you may have a very large, hyper plastic polyp, and they tend can cause problems like blockages, so just keep that in the back of your mind. Again, stick to the plan.”
Sessile serrated polyps are the third.
Sommer said, “They’re a little trickier, because they kind of, and I’ve seen them when Doctor Smith does colonoscopy, she takes pictures, so she’ll take pictures, and she has shown me what a sessile serrated polyp looks like. They’re flat and they can be hard to detect, and they carry some high cancer risk, especially if they are larger, located in the right side of the colon. So things I want you to remember, polyps do not cause symptoms, so that’s why we talk about prevention. I talk about prevention all the time. We have treatment. We have prevention. Some things that we can’t detect, like polyps, the only way you’re going to know they’re there is if you take the preventative measures and you get a colonoscopy. You don’t feel them and that’s why we rely on screening. Things that can happen that may make you think you have a polyp is rectal bleeding. That’s usually a big scare when you start having rectal bleeding more often, that could mean that you do have a polyp and it is cancerous. So just keep that in the back of the mind.”
Some people are at a higher risk than others of colorectal cancer.
Sommer said, “Over the age of 45 and again, that has changed over the last several years. If we remember about 10 years ago, it was 50 years or older, now they are pushing it over the age of 45. They are diagnosing colon cancer earlier and earlier, even younger than 45 especially if there’s a family history. So again, family history of colon polyps, discuss that with your doctor, the age of whichever first degree relative had colon cancer, is very important for your provider to know, because that’s going to dictate whether you can wait till you’re 45 or you may need to have it sooner. If you have inflammatory bowel disease like Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, you are more at risk for colon cancer. So again, staying on top of management of your medical condition is important when screening for colon cancer. Diet high in processed red meats. Smoking, of course, we talk about smoking, alcohol use and being overweight. Three contributing factors, your increased risk of colon cancer.”
What are symptoms to watch for?
Sommer said, “Blood in your stool. If you start to have rectal bleeding, don’t ignore it. A lot of times it’s painless as well. You don’t have pain with it. So big warning sign, get to the doctor right away. Changes in bowel habits. If you are somebody that goes to the bathroom regular and you starting having more loose stools or constipation, you need to bring that attention to your doctor. And if you do have any abdominal discomfort, this is gas, this is bloating, pain, of course, go see your doctor, and unexplained weight loss, that’s a huge in any cancer. When you you are losing weight rapidly without trying, it’s a big red flag. And fatigue or anemia, which we talked about before, a lot of times, you may have some blood work, and the doctor might tell you you’re anemic, and you don’t know why. This could be a sign of colon cancer.”
It really is all about the screening.
Sommer said, “I can’t tell you how many people say I don’t have colon cancer in my family and the same thing with breast cancer, like, oh, there’s no breast cancer in my family. I don’t need a mammogram. It doesn’t matter. There’s only a small percentage, yes, if you have that cancer in your family, we want you to get screened. But it doesn’t mean, because your mother, your father, your grandparents, never had colon cancer, that you’re not going to get it. We don’t always have treatment, but we have prevention. And the treatment for colon cancer is a lot more involved than just going for a colonoscopy and having the polyp removed.”
For more information on how Key West Surgical Group can help, click here: https://www.keywestsurgicalgroup.com/