UTHSCT’s Carlton Allen Discusses the Importance of Colorectal Cancer Screenings
July 30, 2019
Study finds colon cancer on the rise among people under 50
The study, published by the American Cancer Society’s “Cancer” journal, says younger adults also present with a more advanced disease.
TYLER, Texas — According to a new study, colorectal cancer (CRC) in adults younger than 50 has increased in the United States over the past decades.
The study, published by the American Cancer Society’s Cancer journal, says younger adults also present with a more advanced disease.
CRC is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S. for men and women combined, the study says. Thankfully, the risk of death from CRC has been reduced through major advancements in screening (first introduced in the 1970s and 1980s) and better medical treatment.
Carlton Allen, program director at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler, says the hospital currently offers a program that provides free CRC screenings to Northeast Texas residents who qualify. The program is funded through the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT).
To qualify for the program, you must:
- Be between the ages of 50 and 75
- Have no personal history of CRC
- Have not had: A stool-based test in the last year; A sigmoidoscopy exam (to look inside the rectum and lower colon) within the last 5 years; A colonoscopy exam (to look inside the rectum and entire colon) within the last 10 years
- Be uninsured or under-insured
Types of screenings offered include:
- Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT): At-home stool screening to test for hidden blood in the stool with no drugs or dietary restrictions required.
- Colonoscopy: A long, thin, flexible, lighted tube is inserted to check for polyps or cancer inside the rectum and the entire colon. The doctor can find and remove most polyps and some cancers.
However, with the American Cancer Society having recently recommended lowering the beginning screening age to 45, Allen says UT Health Science Center at Tyler plans to explore lowering the age for their free screenings at their medical center, as well. The university also offers the service to some patients under 50-years-old, but it is determined on a case-by-case basis.
Free colonoscopies and stool tests are offered to residents who qualify from the following Northeast Texas counties:
- Anderson
- Angelina
- Cherokee
- Collin
- Delta
- Fannin
- Gregg
- Henderson
- Hunt
- Kaufman
- Lamar
- Nacogdoches
- Rusk
- Sabine
- San Augustine
- Shelby
- Smith
- Van Zandt
Many factors have contributed to the American Cancer Society lowering their recommended screening age, according to Allen.
“It could be because [of] the diet, it could be because of genetics,” Allen said. “Most of the recommendations [say to] start screening at age 50 and we’re missing out on a whole group of individuals, men and women, that aren’t getting screened that may have signs and symptoms.”
African Americans and those who have a family history of CRC could be at a higher risk and may need to be screened earlier. If you believe you are at a high risk, speak with your doctor about when to start your screenings.
According to the American Cancer Society, symptoms of CRC could include:
- A change in bowel habits (such as diarrhea, constipation or narrowing of the stool) that lasts for more than a few days
- A feeling you need to have a bowel movement that is not relieved by doing so
- Rectal bleeding
- Dark stools or blood in the stool
- Cramping or abdominal pain
- Weakness and fatigue
- Unintended weight loss
While a patient may present with one or more of these symptoms, CRC requires a diagnosis by a medical professional.
When CRC does turn out to be the cause, symptoms often appear only after the cancer has grown or spread, the American Cancer Society says. That’s why it’s best to be tested for CRC before ever having any symptoms. CRC found early through screening may be easier to treat. Screening can even prevent some CRC from forming by finding and removing pre-cancerous growths, known as polyps.
To request a free at-home CRC screening kit, ask questions or to get more information on UTHSCT’s program, call (903) 877-1461 or email .
Original story by Jacklyn Lora, CBS19.
To view the original story, click here.
To learn more about UT Health Science Center at Tyler’s colorectal cancer screening program, click here.
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