By Dr. LAN LUU, Co-Medical Director of Community-University Health Care Center (CUHCC)
Colon cancer happens when abnormal cells grow in your colon or rectum (the lower parts of the belly). Colon cancer is rising among people younger than 50 years-old. Luckily, if it is caught early, colon cancer is treatable. For these reasons, it is recommended that everyone starts screening for colon cancer at 45 years-old. There are generally three options offered to patients:
The FIT test (fecal immunochemical test) detects blood in a small sample of stool (poop). Healthcare clinics give patients a test kit and instructions. YouTube has videos in many languages to help. Patients then mail the kit back to their clinic. This test should be taken every year.
Cologuard is also a stool test. It detects abnormal cells through DNA. Medical providers order a kit that is mailed to your home. After collecting the stool, you return the kit in a pre-paid box. This test should be taken every three years.
A colonoscopy is a screening that lets a doctor look inside your colon with a long tube with a tiny camera on the end. It helps find problems like bleeding, swelling, or polyps (abnormal growths) and other signs of cancer so they can be treated right away.
Before the colonoscopy, your doctor will give you information on emptying your colon. This usually includes drinking a special liquid that makes you go to the bathroom often to clean out your colon. A colonoscopy takes less than an hour, and you are given medicine to help you relax or sleep. This is the best test for detecting colon cancer early and most people only need to do it every 10 years. Another great benefit is that providers will remove any polyps (abnormal growths) they may find.
Most insurance plans cover the screening, even if you have a deductible. At CUHCC, we help patients without insurance to find and schedule colonoscopies at clinics that provide them at low cost or even free for people who meet specific criteria.
I encourage you to talk to your health care provider to get the test that’s best for you based on your family health history, current symptoms and other factors. Colon cancer often has no symptoms and if you have it, you want to catch it early when it’s easiest to treat. Screening means peace of mind for you and your loved ones. It’s easier than you think and it could save your life!
Located at Bloomington and Franklin in Minneapolis, Community-University Health Care Center (CUHCC) provides medical, dental and behavioral health services to everyone.
