Colon cancer is a serious diagnosis, one that requires careful consideration by you and your loved ones as well as, in many cases, surgery. Unfortunately, though, a number of rumors that are commonly spread about this condition can make it difficult for people to understand their diagnosis and get the treatment they need.
At Boca Care Surgical Associates, we work hard to clear away the cobwebs and confusion surrounding colon cancer. Avraham Belizon, MD, FACS, FASCRS, hopes every patient will be able to get the correct information about colon cancer and begin a journey of health and healing with all the facts.
It has been believed for a long time that only elderly folks get colon cancer, but this isn’t true. Doctors recommended for a long time that people as young as 50 get screenings for colon cancer, but this has also changed. Now, the recommended age for those with no history of colon cancer is 45. Those with a family history might choose to be screened at a younger age.
Sadly, young people do get colon cancer, and because there are usually no symptoms early on, screenings are the best way to be able to tell if you have something to be concerned about. That’s why it’s recommended that everyone get screened by age 45 at the latest.
There is a strongly held belief in our society that men should be much more concerned about colon cancer than women. While it’s true that men have a higher risk factor for colon cancer, absolutely anyone can get it. Especially if you have a history of colon cancer in your family, it may be time to start getting screenings, no matter your gender.
This is untrue. While many issues can contribute to the cause of colon cancer, eating sugar just isn’t one of them. You may have also heard that eating more sugar can make cancer “worse,” while avoiding it can cause it to “shrink.” This is also untrue.
Yes, cutting out excess sugar and eating more vegetables is always helpful for your body and overall health. But the amount of sugar you take in does not directly affect colon cancer risks or diagnoses. And eating less sugar isn’t the way to effectively manage colon cancer.
If you were hoping to avoid painful surgery as a result of your colon cancer diagnosis, breathe a sigh of relief. Treatment for colon cancer doesn’t need to involve invasive surgery. In fact, Dr. Belizon is often able to treat early-stage colon cancer with minimally invasive robotic surgery.
This involves making small incisions and removing any cancerous polyps. Later-stage cancer may involve surgical treatments like a partial colectomy, but this can often be avoided with early detection.
This is also, thankfully, untrue. Many people fear that colon cancer is a death sentence, but it’s not. The NIH lists a 65.4% five-year relative survival rate for colon cancer. Once you know what you’re dealing with, there are also many treatment options available, and minimally invasive, effective care is possible.
Some patients fear that colon cancer means they have a condition that has spread elsewhere in the body, but this also isn’t always the case. No matter what, it’s best to get a diagnosis as early as possible, but once you do, we’ll be able to discuss all your options and help you make the best, most effective choice for your situation.
We’d be happy to meet and provide you with more truthful information about this misunderstood condition. Call us at our Boca Raton, FL, office or visit us online to make an appointment today.
