So another question is why did I get colon cancer. Genetic predisposition or not, why did I get it? Or, how did it happen? Well, I would say that it was because I wasn’t screened. My advice to everyone is to GET SCREENED NOW before it is too late for you as it almost was for me! Standard screening doesn’t start until you turn 50 if you are considered of average risk. So if you are 50 or over and you haven’t been screened, what are you waiting for? Death?! If you are under 50, like me, YOU (not your doctor or anyone else) need to find a way to get yourself screened - now.
Screening is done on those who appear to be healthy. You do not have to be sick to be screened. It is a preventative measure. Colon caner is almost 100% preventable if you are screened. By the time you show symptoms it’s too late, already you have it.
The best case you can build for getting screened early is family history, so find out yours! At a minimum, you need to know which relatives, what cancers, and age at diagnosis. Those are the main points. Any other details you can dig up like stages of cancers, recurrence, if it was cause of death, etc. would be helpful. It’s also not much more trouble to get full histories of all diseases while you’re at it since it could help indicate genetic links to cancer or just other diseases to look out for.
What degree away from you your relatives are is important in determining your level of risk. First-degree relatives are those you share half of your DNA with - parents, children, and siblings. Second-degree relatives would share one quarter such as grandparents, uncles, nieces, half-siblings, etc. The closer they are to you by degree, the seriousness of their illness, and at what age they had it all factor in to your particular risk. The American Cancer Society (ACS) says early screening is indicated if you have “colorectal cancer or adenomatous polyps in any first-degree relative before age 60, or in 2 or more first-degree relatives at any age (if not a hereditary syndrome).” Which translates into screening at “age 40, or 10 years before the youngest case in the immediate family, whichever is earlier.” source 40 was earlier for me, but not early enough.
The point is, this is too conservative so if you have a family history or you are just concerned about your health get screened now! YOU may have to push your insurance provider or primary care physician or YOURSELF to get this done. Go through your family history, look at your own health and find a way to get screened.
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