If you notice bleeding in your stools, consult your doctor immediately. Also, if you have persistent digestive symptoms, don’t ignore them. Talk to a healthcare professional who can help you determine the cause.
Once you describe the symptoms to your doctor, he or she will likely give you a physical exam.
The doctor will likely ask you about your medical history and ask if you have risk factors for colorectal cancer, including a family history of the disease, a history of colorectal cancer or precancerous polyps, inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, or type 2 diabetes. Other risk factors include obesity or being overweight, low level of physical activity, high alcohol consumption and smoking.
Once the doctor knows your medical history, the next step might be a physical exam of your body that involves carefully pressing on your abdomen to look for masses or enlarged organs.
The doctor may also examine your rectum by placing a gloved, lubricated finger inside to check for any abnormalities. Certain tests, including blood and fecal tests, may be ordered.
You may also leave the doctor’s office with a prescription for a diagnostic colonoscopy, during which a gastroenterologist examines the inside of the colon and rectum using a device inserted into the anus: a long, thin, flexible lighted tube with a small video camera on the end.
If the exam reveals suspicious growths, the gastroenterologist may remove tissue to perform a biopsy to determine whether or not cancer cells are present.
If you have no symptoms, it is important to get tested for colorectal cancer at the appropriate time. People who do not have risk factors for colon cancer should have regular screening starting at age 45. This can be done through a variety of tests, including stool tests every one to three years, a colonoscopy every 10 years, or a CT colonography or sigmoidology every five years.
People with a family or personal history of colorectal cancer, as well as those at increased risk of developing the disease, should start screening earlier and get tested more often. Your doctor will discuss testing options, as well as when you should start and how often you should get tested.
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