My mom had colon cancer and surgery but no treatment outside of pills. What are her chances of it coming back?

The chance of recurrence depends on the “stage” of diagnosis. In general, there can be a 30-50% recurrence rate that would occur within the first 5 years.

I’m 45 going on 46 and my doctor told me I don’t need a colonoscopy until I turn 50.

The beginning age of colon cancer screening is 50 for whites, but starts at age 45 for African-Americans.

What are the symptoms of colon cancer again? I’m, 46 and male with no health insurance in North Carolina. How can I get screened?

The symptoms of colon cancer can be a change in bowel movements–more or less often, rectal bleeding, or abdominal pain. Although i am not in North Carolina, there may be a program in your area that can help with the tests.

Question for the doc: I’ve tried green smoothies and fruit-infused water, and I always get constipated, even after drinking just one drink. What causes that?

This could be related to a large amount of fiber in the drink. Increasing fluid intake may resolve the constipation issue.  If it’s not resolved, then seeing a physician may be best.

Is the colon kit where you give a stool sample accurate? Can it take place of a colonoscopy?

There are tests available that can detect blood in the stool.  The thought is that if a polyp or cancer is bleeding, the test can detect this. This is only accurate if the polyp or cancer is bleeding at the time of doing the test.  It does not take the place of doing a colonoscopy.

The news about caffeine changes all the time but I recently read that caffeine may lower your risk of colorectal cancer. Is that true, Dr.?

Although it can be seen that coffee drinkers may lower their risk of colon cancer, the studies have looked at patients that have already been diagnosed with colon cancer. The studies have looked at the recurrence of cancer.

What is a normal amount of times per day to have a bowel movement?

There is a wide range of “normal”.  It can range from 3 times a week to 3 times a day.  As long as this has not changed for you, it is “normal.”

Does having anal sex increase the chance or colon cancer?

Anal sex does not increase your risk for colon cancer, but is a risk factor for anorectal cancer.

I’ve heard of a couple of people having their intestines punctured during the procedure. How common is this?

The risk of injuring the colon during a colonoscopy is less than 0.05%.

What about leakage? Is this a sign of colon cancer?

Leakage itself can be a sign of disease. Sometimes this is associated with rectal cancer, but more often, especially in a woman, is consistent with fecal incontinence.

When you have your colon checked at age 45 how long do you wait until the next test?

The scheduling of follow-up exam is dependent on the finding of the initial colonoscopy, as well as family history. If a polyp is found, the follow-up is generally between 3-5 years. Otherwise, it is generally scheduled at 10 years.

Is there an easier preparation for the procedure? I have tried numerous times but I can’t keep the stuff down that you have to take before the test.

There are many different preparations. If nausea is a problem, there are medications that can combat the nausea.

If you have a colonoscopy and they find only on a polyp, is that a sign you are eating right?

The finding of one polyp is not necessarily indicative of what you are eating. It is more indicative of that there was a spot in your colon that could have developed a colon cancer.

I’m a pescatarian, a vegetarian that eats fish. I eat lots of nuts, berries & greens. Does that decrease my chances of colon, rectal and other cancers?

Yes. Eating a diet high in fiber and low in animal fats, especially consuming omega fatty acids will decrease your risk. An active lifestyle, not smoking and moderate alcohol consumption will lessen your chances.

Can cancer be diagnosed through a blood test?

Not yet. There are tests that are not fully developed that will be able to do this. If these tests are positive or indicate a cancer, a colonoscopy will still need to be done. The main purpose of doing the colonoscopy is to prevent the cancer from developing in the first place and to remove any polyps before they can become a cancer.

Is there a connection between mental clarity and the colon?

I have not heard of a connection.

Doctor, during my colonoscopy they found polyps but at the time it was not cancerous. They did not tell me what steps to take in order to reduce polyps in the future. What are the best ways?

The single best way is to have a repeat colonoscopy at the recommended interval. Eating a healthy diet, low in animal fats, high in fiber can reduce your risk.

Is the colonoscopy test for both men and women starting at age 45?

Yes, it’s for both men and women, beginning at age 45.

We are currently waiting for a bowel transplant. Can you tell if it’s hard to find a suitable donor? And is it a long waiting time?

It can vary as bowel transplants are not widely done as kidneys, lungs, hearts etc.

In 2012, I had rectal bleeding, got checked and they found cancerous polyps. One month later, I had 18 inches of my colon removed but did not have any post surgery activity other than yearly scan.

You should additionally have repeat colonoscopy.

If the whites of your eyes are not bright anymore could that be a sign that something is wrong?

This can occur for many reasons and should be evaluated by your doctor.

I have a lazy bowel… Do I need to be concerned about colon cancer? I am 43 years old, and I had a colonoscopy done about 5 yrs ago.

We all should be concerned about colon cancer, but a “lazy bowel” does not increase your chances.

Does the doctor put you to sleep before the test?

Patients are sedated before beginning the colonoscopy. Nearly all patients will be sleeping and nearly all remember nothing of the procedure.

I have colonoscopys every 18 months to a year. They removed 16 polyps in October 2015 and 12 the previous year. I am 60 now and a breast cancer survivor for 8 years. How do you get rid of polyps?

The single best way is to have a repeat colonoscopy at the recommended interval, especially with a history of cancer. Eating a healthy diet, low in animal fats and high in fiber can reduce your risk.

I’m a 54-year-old black female. I had a colonoscopy at 50. I was told they could only see 80% of my colon because it was longer than the medical scope/tube (I think 5ft) used to look at my colon. Is that something to be concerned about – that they didn’t get to see my whole colon and is it unusual for it to be that long? Also ever since I had the colonoscopy, everything I eat goes straight through me-literally in about 10-15 minutes.

The average length of the colon is about 5-6′ – about your wingspan. If unable to see the entire colon, generally an additional test is done to see the remaining colon–ct colonoscopy or barium enema. Both are X-rays.

Doctor, what do you mean by changing bowel habits? I’m a 74-year-old female who has had 2 colonoscopies.

Any change in bowel movements–more or less often, rectal bleeding, or abdominal pain.

Ask the doctor if drinking vegetable and fruit smoothies every day is the same as munching on salads.

The two can be equivalent, but it matters as to why you are drinking the smoothies. If it is to increase your fiber, then you would need to determine the amount of fiber in each to truly determine if they are equivalent.

 

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Dr. Williams Answers All Your Colon Questions  was originally published on blackamericaweb.com

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