Misconceptions surround colon screenings

Colon cancer in an advanced stage requires major surgery. If it has spread to a number of organs, there's no point in operating. Yet people are willing to forgo a screening test that could detect and repair problems at a pre-cancerous stage, according to an international authority on colorectal cancer.

And a survey of oncologists, surgeons, radiation therapists, gastroenterologists and others who treat colorectal cancer may shed light on why that is.

There are major misconceptions, according to Dr. Mario Dicato of the Luxembourg Medical Center, co-chairman of a recent international conference on the topic in Barcelona, Spain, that drew more than 1,200 colorectal cancer specialists. The first misconception is that screening for colorectal cancer is painful. The second is that people who eat "right" and are physically fit won't ever get colorectal cancer. Some believe by the time cancer is detected it's too late, so why bother. Yet another mistaken notion is that a lack of family history of the disease means individuals have no risk.

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States and, in fact, the world. It is also one that can be detected early or even prevented at least one-third of the time, with proper screening, Dicato said in a telephone interview. Though standards for testing vary from nation to nation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the screening rates in America are low. Although according to U.S. recommendations, individuals should start being screened for colorectal cancer at age 50, just over half of those 50 and older receive the recommended screenings.

Worldwide, 800,000 new cases are detected each year, and 500,000 people die each year.

The survey, conducted by the conference's organizer, Imedex, found that health practitioners believe the biggest challenge to reducing cases of colorectal cancer is convincing people to get screened regularly, followed by improving treatment outcomes and convincing people to make lifestyle changes proven to reduce risk.

That includes increasing the amount of fiber in your diet, limiting fat, getting plenty of exercise, not smoking and avoiding excessive alcohol use, Dicato said.

Those surveyed also had some predictions for the next few years: better diagnostic tools for early detection, greater public awareness, improved treatments and an increase in research of the disease and its possible treatment.

There's no question that the screening is uncomfortable, Dicato said, in part because the night before the patient has to take liquids that clean out the bowel. There may be some discomfort with a screening test itself, but patients are usually sedated, he said.