Colon cancer risks - what to look for and how to prevent it

FOX 2 - Colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer causing death in the US for both men and women - and reports show more young adults are being diagnosed.

"The most recent American Cancer Society update noted that the leading cause of cancer death in men younger than age 50 is actually now colon cancer," said Dr. Carole Macaron. "And about half of the patients who have colon cancer are actually less than 45. So those patients at this time are not routinely screened for colorectal cancer.

"The problem is how can we tell which one is at high risk, which one is not at high risk?"

The backstory:

Macaron, with Cleveland Clinic, says that’s why she and a team of researchers developed a new scoring system. It would be used to help determine if a young adult, who is not yet eligible for a colonoscopy, is at risk for colorectal cancer.

Currently, colonoscopies aren’t recommended until the age of 45. Macaron says their scoring system, which is still in the research phase, works by going over a list of risk factors with a patient.

Based on the score, their physician would then order additional screenings. So, why are more young adults getting colorectal cancer?

Macaron says they’re not entirely sure, but they do know certain risk factors appear to be playing a role.

"Among the factors that have been reported, the one that consistently been found to be associated with early onset colorectal cancer is smoking history, family history of colon cancer, and body mass index, or like being overweight or obese," she said. "Those were actually the factors we found ourselves in our own data of over 9,000 young adults on whom we looked at the risk factor."

The American Cancer Society says if you are at average risk, you should start screening at age 45 years old. That can be a test that you do at home in the bathroom or a colonoscopy.

Symtoms of colon cancer  include  changes in bowel habits, vomiting, abdominal pain, bloating and unexplained weight loss.

The good news is, if caught early, it can be cured.