As March is American Colon Cancer Awareness Month, it’s a time when the nation spotlights colon cancer, a leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S. for men and women, according to cancer.org.
Many colorectal cancers can be prevented or caught early, when they might be easier to treat. That’s why getting screened is so important.
Dr. Rowland Reyna, founder of HealthTexas explains why it’s so important to take charge of your colon health and to focus on maintaining an overall healthy lifestyle.
Below are some key questions, answered.
1) Why is it important to know about colon cancer?
“Globally, over 1 million people are diagnosed with colon cancer yearly,” Reyna said. “There are 715,000 deaths annually. In the U.S., it’s the second-highest cause of death in men and women after lung cancer. One out of 20 people will have colon cancer in their lifetime, (and) the median age is 69. What’s important is that most of these cancers are preventable.”
2) How can you prevent colon cancer?
Seven ways to prevent colorectal cancer include:
- Getting screened, beginning at age 50 -- annual fecal occult blood testing, colonoscopy.
- Eating lots of fruits, vegetables and whole grains; less red meat and processed food.
- Regular exercising.
- Losing weight -- obesity increases the risk.
- Don’t smoke.
- Don’t drink.
- Taking Vitamin D daily-- recommended dosage is 2,000 to 5,000 units a day.
“Vitamin D also decreases your risk for COVID-19,” Reyna said. “In summary, bad habits in regards to diet, obesity and lack of exercise significantly increase your risk. About 50% of colon cancer is related to lifestyle, and in many ways, getting screened can cause the cancer to be fully preventable.”
It is important to know that screening tests are done when you have no signs or symptoms of the disease. If you have symptoms, contact your doctor right away.
If you need a primary care doctor, HealthTexas has 17 locations to serve the San Antonio region, and the health group specializes in Medicare plans. All doctors are board-certified in internal medicine or family medicine. Watch the video above for more information about HealthTexas.