March is Colorectal cancer awareness month.
Colorectal cancer is the third most diagnosed form of cancer in the U.S. today, according to Dr. Maria Martinez Ugarte, a colon rectal surgeon with Gonzaba Medical Group.
Colorectal cancer is just as the name implies—its cancer of the colon. When polyps develop, they can mutate over time into cancer and begin to cause real damage to your body, Ugarte said.
Some of the symptoms to watch for can be sudden weight loss, anemia or low iron, abdominal discomfort or pain, and changes in your bowel movements. All of these symptoms may reflect the body trying to deal with the cancer in the digestive system, Ugarte said.
If colorectal cancer is detected early, a surgeon can remove the cancerous polyps, but the key is early diagnosis.
For more information, you can visit Gonzaba Medical Group’s website.