Latest update November 29th, 2024 1:00 AM
Visiting Gastroenterologist promotes colonoscopy -says “it’s not that big a deal” of men being screened for prostate cancer
While breast cancer is feared most by women and prostate cancer by men, what may not be preached enough is the fact that both sexes should be wary of colon cancer by the time they attain the age of 50 or even earlier if they are predisposed to it.
Dr Trevor Seaton
In the case of predisposition, Dr. Trevor Seaton, a reputable Canada-based gastroenterologist, who has been offering his expertise at the Annandale, East Coast Demerara Doobay Medical and Research Centre on a visitation basis, said that a colonoscopy should be done at an earlier date.
A colonoscopy is an outpatient procedure in which the inside of the large intestine [the colon and rectum] is examined. Medical experts recommend that both men and women undergo this procedure to evaluate gastrointestinal symptoms such as rectal and intestinal bleeding or changes in bowel habits.
Persons who have bowel problems which suggest blood in the stool or unexplained diarrhoea or unexplained constipation could have a blockage or even a tumour.
It is through a colonoscopy that colon cancer can be detected, too, thus this procedure is increasingly being touted.
Taking in consideration the prevalence of cancer, Dr. Seaton noted that while women can do regular screening of the breast, by way of a mammogram, or the cervix via a pap smear or visual inspection with ascetic acid [VIA] to prevent cancer of these parts of their anatomy, cancer of the colon is the only cancer that can be prevented in men.
As he emphasised the importance of both men and women being vigilant in getting their colon screened, Dr. Seaton said, “The number one cancer that ladies can get is breast cancer and the life time risk is in the order of one in nine to one in 10. Colon cancer is not as bad as that [but] the lifetime risk is one in 20 and so colonoscopy is often involved in saying yes or no if you have bowel cancer. [And] it is the one and only cancer that we can prevent in a man.”
The gastroenterologist, however, noted that “your chance is doubled if you have a first degree relative with colon cancer, that is, a mother, father, sister, brother…So you go from one in 20 to the sort of rate men have for prostate or women have for breast, which is one in 10.
Those people should be examined earlier than 50, either 40 or 30 or 10 years younger, than the relative who was first diagnosed.”
Explaining the development of colon cancer, Dr. Seaton said, “It always starts as a growth that is not cancerous which is called a polyp. These polyps may take up to 10 years to become cancer. This is a common cancer but it has a 10 year pre-cancerous phase and anywhere in those 10 years if we take it out we can prevent the cancer altogether.”
This therefore means, the medical expert added, that prime time for colon cancer starts at around the age of 60 thus making the age of 50 ideal for beginning the screening process.
Once no polyps are found during a routine examination an individual may not be required to do more than three colonoscopies during their lifetime.
“In practical sense three exams in a lifetime can protect you from bowel cancer,” said Dr. Seaton.
Dr. Seaton, in noting that women are usually more proactive in being screened for various cancers, said that the onus is also on men to do the same to help safeguard themselves as far as possible.
But many men are protective of their bodies and often refuse to expose themselves to certain invasive tests such as colonoscopy and even that required to be screened for prostate cancer.
This usually requires a medical expert inserting a lubricated, gloved finger into the rectum to feel the prostate for lumps or anything unusual.
The prostate is a walnut-sized gland between the bladder and the penis. “It is the case that we [men] are protective of our body and anything to invade is a threat and that part of the body is somewhat sensitive and we are all a little concern and this is perfectly understandable,” said Dr. Seaton.
He, however, added, “The problem for men is that, that [prostate cancer] is the number one cancer for men and we actually don’t know how to prevent it but if we find out about it early we can save your life. So men need to get their prostate checked with a rectal exam and to do a blood test… that is the best we can do to find it early.”
“Yes it is an unpleasant procedure but if you find the cancer it will save your life,” said Dr. Seaton as he assured that the procedure “it’s not that big of a deal, it’s more in your head…”
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