The IAA One Minute Blog

In February of 2000, former President Bill Clinton officially dedicated March as National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. If you haven't scheduled one already, make March the month you schedule your colonoscopy to show your support.

What is Colorectal Cancer?

Colorectal cancer, the combined name for colon and rectal cancers, is the third most common cancer diagnosed in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society. Colon cancer is the cancer of the large intestine (colon), the lower part of your digestive system. Rectal cancer is the cancer of the last several inches of the colon.

Colorectal cancer is almost always believed to arise from precancerous polyps (abnormal growths) in the colon or rectum. These polyps don't always cause symptoms, especially at first. When symptoms appear, they'll likely vary depending on the cancer's size and location in the large intestine. Symptoms may include:

• Blood in the stool
• Stomach pain, ache or cramps that do not go away
• Unexplained weight loss
• Weakness or fatigue

The American Cancer Society estimates that about 143,000 new cases will be diagnosed by the end of 2013. Colorectal cancer is expected to cause nearly 51,000 deaths in the U.S. this year alone.

The Importance of Colonoscopies

A colonoscopy is a 30 minute test in which a doctor inserts a tube with a camera on the end of it into the patient to check the entire colon for cancerous or precancerous growths. Doctors are looking for polyps, which can appear mushroom shaped. These precancerous growths can also be flat or recessed into the wall of the colon (called nonpolypoid lesions). Evidence from the National Polyp Study has shown that removing polyps and lesions during a colonoscopy reduces the risk for colorectal cancer significantly.

During the procedure the patient is mainly sedated. Most patients will have no pain during the procedure and will probably not remember the colonoscopy itself.

How often you get screened for colorectal cancer depends on the risk. If you are at average risk you should have a colonoscopy every 10 years, starting at age 50 and ending at age 75.

Risk factors that may increase your chances of colon cancer include:

• Older age: About 90% of people diagnosed with colon cancer are older than 50.
• A history of polypsIf you have had polyps, than you are at a greater risk for colon cancer in the future.
• Inflammatory intestinal conditions: Chronic inflammatory diseases of the colon, such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease can increase your risk for cancer.
• Family history: If you had a parent, sibling or child who has had colon cancer or colon polyps, you are more likely to develop colon cancer.
• Low fiber, high fat diet
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Smoking
• Alcohol

Overall, people have a 1 in 20 lifetime risk of developing the disease.

What IAA has to Say

While getting a colonoscopy may not seem like much fun, it is important that you take the time to schedule one. Getting screened via a colonoscopy can save your life. Insurance Administrator of America wants you to keep staying healthy! Remember, with IAA one call does it all.

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