With proper screening, colon cancer can be detected before symptoms develop, when it is most curable.
Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer and cause of cancer deaths in Oklahoma and the United States. Oklahomans should know we have more colorectal cancer cases and deaths than the national rate.
Especially concerning, colorectal cancer is now the number one cause of death from cancer for men and number two for women under the age of 50.
It is recommended that people of average risk get their first colorectal screening at age 45. It is important to get screened even if you have no risk factors or no symptoms.
With proper screening, colorectal cancer can be detected before symptoms develop, when it is most curable.
Watch Video about Colorectal Cancer Screenings from the American Cancer Society
Colon Cancer Tests Available Through Saint Francis
Each test is different so talk to your primary care physician/provider about which one is right for you. There are different ways to screen for colon cancer, three are the most commonly performed:
Colonoscopy
Colonoscopy is considered the gold standard for colorectal cancer screening. A colonoscopy allows a view of your entire colon and rectum using a flexible tube. It has the advantage of allowing the colon cancer surgeon or gastroenterologist to find and remove polyps before they turn into cancer.
Although some patients are concerned about doing the preparation for a colonoscopy, the benefit of having the screening completed far outweighs the preparation. Plus, the current prep is easier than in years past. A negative colonoscopy is good for 10 years.
FIT
A fecal immunochemical test or FIT is a non-invasive colorectal screening test you can collect at home. The FIT looks for hidden blood in your stool. Lab will give you the ordered FIT, you get a sample at home then mail the kit back to the lab for testing. The FIT is a lab test so it may fail to detect some polyps and/or cancer as well as give a false positive result. A negative FIT is good for one (1) year.
Cologuard
Cologuard is a fecal immunochemical test-DNA test. Like the FIT it looks for traces of blood in your stool and can be collected at home but this test also extracts DNA from cells in your sample to check for precancer or cancer abnormalities. The Cologuard has similar drawbacks as the FIT but has more false positive results and it can only be ordered for patients with a low-risk for colorectal cancer. A negative Cologuard is good for three (3) years.
The Cost of Colorectal Cancer Screening at Saint Francis
For patients with insurance, there are no out-of-pocket costs for colorectal screening.
Insurance will usually pay for one screening exam when it is due. If you choose a FIT or Cologuard for screening and it has a positive result, the next step is a diagnostic colonoscopy that insurance bills differently from a screening test.
Contact your primary care physician/provider for a colonoscopy referral or to order either a FIT or Cologuard.
Colon Cancer Diagnoses
If it is determined that a patient does indeed have colorectal cancer, more tests will be performed to see if the cancer has spread. This is called staging. CT or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of the abdomen, pelvic area, chest or brain may be used to stage the cancer. In some instances, positron emission tomography (PET) scans are also used.
Stages of Colon Cancer
The stages of colorectal cancer include:
- Stage 0: Very early cancer on the innermost layer of the intestine
- Stage I: Cancer is in the inner layers of the colon
- Stage II: Cancer has spread through the muscle wall of the colon
- Stage III: Cancer has spread to the lymph nodes
- Stage IV: Cancer has spread to other organs
Learn More About Colon Cancer
About Colorectal Cancer
Colon Cancer Prevention and Risk Factors
Treatment of Colon Cancer
Learn More About Cancer Services Provided by Saint Francis
For additional information or to schedule a consultation with a cancer specialist, please call Saint Francis HealthLink at 918-488-6688.