Prevention is easier than you think.

Digestive tract cancers can occur anywhere from the mouth to the rectum. Colorectal cancer is the second-most deadly of all cancers, killing more people (over 60,000) each year in the United States than either breast or prostate cancers.

Without risk factors, you have a 1 in 17 chance of developing colorectal cancer during your lifetime. Yet colorectal cancer is among the most preventable and curable of all cancers—if it is found and treated early.

Sadly, too many patients put off colon cancer screening because they are afraid of the discomfort or what might be found. They don’t understand that, thanks to today’s anesthesia, there is virtually no discomfort.

Most polyps we find and remove are benign or precancerous. Early removal of these polyps can prevent cancer.

The Most Effective Way To Avoid Colon Cancers

Experts agree that colonoscopy is the “gold standard” for diagnosing and preventing colon cancer. Here are some warning signs that may indicate the presence of colorectal cancer:

  • A change in bowel habits
  • Either diarrhea or constipation
  • Blood in the stool (bright red, black or very dark)
  • Narrowed stools (about the thickness of a pencil)
  • Bloating, fullness or abdominal cramps
  • A feeling that the bowel does not empty completely
  • Frequent gas pains
  • Weight loss without dieting
  • Continuing fatigue
  • Unexplained anemia