You should get your first colonoscopy at age 50 and, if you are low risk, repeat the exam every five to 10 years.
Spartanburg Regional Health System
You haven’t taken a day off from work in six months. Life gets so busy that you put your health on the back burner. But not getting health screenings — like a colonoscopy — puts your life at risk.
You should get your first colonoscopy at age 50 and, if you are low risk, repeat the exam every five to 10 years.
“The use of screening colonoscopy and the removal of polyps during the procedure have been shown to not only reduce deaths from colon cancer but also can prevent the development of such cancers,” said Dr. Gordon France, Jr., with Medical Group of the Carolinas, Gastroenterology, Spartanburg.
Symptoms can sometimes appear late in the illness, so getting screened is important.
Signs and symptoms of colon cancer include:
• A change in your bowel habits, including diarrhea or constipation or a change in the consistency
• Rectal bleeding or blood in your stool
• Persistent abdominal discomfort, such as cramps, gas or pain
• A feeling that your bowel doesn’t empty completely
• Unexplained weight loss
Factors that put you at risk for colorectal cancer:
• Inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis
• A personal or family history of colorectal cancer or colorectal polyps
• A genetic syndrome such as familial adenomatous polyposis
• (FAP) or hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer
• Lack of regular physical activity
• Low fruit and vegetable intake
• A low-fiber and high-fat diet
If you notice any of these symptoms or feel that you are at risk, make an appointment with your primary care physician. Talk to your doctor about when you should begin screening for colon cancer.
Want to help?
Help provide a colon cancer screening to someone in need in the community through the Betty Ann Moore Colon Cancer Fund. This fund was created by John Moore and Anne Brady Moore Carlson in memory of their mother, Betty Ann Moore, who died due to colon cancer.
Donations to this fund go to underinsured and uninsured people in Spartanburg community who cannot afford colonoscopy screenings. To donate, visit RegionalFoundation.com.