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Want to learn ways to prevent GI diseases, including cancer? VCU Health educates patients on how to stay healthy and cancer-free, and it starts with regular screening tests.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, men and women should begin regular screening starting at age 50, as follows:
Those at higher risk for colorectal cancer should talk to their primary care doctor about beginning screenings sooner or having them performed more frequently. People who are at greater risk for colorectal cancer include:
Today, there have been many medical advancements in colorectal screenings.The fecal immunochemical test (FIT) recently replaced fecal occult blood testing (FOBT), as it only detects blood from the lower intestine and is generally more reliable than FOBT. Additionally, the FDA has now approved stool DNA testing, which checks for genetic changes that are sometimes found in colorectal cancer cells. This test is meant for people who do not wish to undergo the usual preparation required for a colonoscopy. If the stool DNA testing results are abnormal, a colonoscopy may be required for an accurate diagnosis.
For those who have been diagnosed with colorectal cancer, most will undergo surgery to remove the tumor, and they may also receive chemotherapy and/or radiation before or after surgery. We believe it’s best to get a second opinion and understand the difference between cancer care providers. You will find that academic medical centers like VCU Health typically perform more surgeries and treat more complex cancers, and patients often have better outcomes as a result. Also, surgeons at academic medical centers often specialize in one type of surgery instead of general surgery.