Be aware. That is our message to those of you who have yet to consider a colon cancer screening. This year, about 135,000 people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with colon cancer.

Dr. Austin Osemeka, Chief of Endoscopy at Kings Mountain Hospital, says, "You have to be aware because symptoms of colon cancer aren't always apparent." Colon cancer is a cancer that forms in the large intestine. Nearly all colon cancers start as polyps, tiny projections that grow on the inside of the large intestine. Most of the time these growths are benign, but occasionally a collection of cells will get bigger and bigger until it turns into a tumor.

Colon cancer is one of the deadliest but also one of most preventable cancers. The key factors in controlling and curing colon cancer are prevention and early detection. In fact, when caught in its earliest, most treatable stages, colon cancer is curable 90 percent of the time.

Dr. Osemeka specializes in digestive diseases. This includes diseases in the stomach, liver, small and large intestine, pancreas and many others. As a young child, Osemeka always knew he wanted to help sick people. "I always looked at the sick people in hospitals and wondered how I could help them," he says. Today, he is able to do more than help sick people. He can often cure them and improve their lives. "The most satisfying thing about my job is the look on a patient's face when I tell them that I can help them," says Osemeka.

You may ask, if colon cancer is often curable what's the big deal? The problem is that too many people do not accept the recommendation to begin testing. "Every person should begin testing at age 50, unless they have a family history of colon cancer and should then be screened possibly in their 30's or 40's," recommends Osemeka. People who have a family history of colon cancer, are at a higher risk for developing the cancer than others.

Osemeka recommends that everyone begin diagnostics for colon cancer by having a fecal blood test once a year. This test can detect blood in feces that is not noticeable to the human eye. Finding blood in the stool does not always mean that there is a cancer present and is therefore often ordered in addition to other testing. A barium enema and colonoscopy are two diagnostics that often accompany a stool testing.

A barium enema is a common diagnostic procedure used to detect problems such as colon blockage, tumors, polyps, or other disorders. The intestines are coated with a liquid called barium, so that abnormal growths show on X-ray. Phyllis Phillips, Director of Radiology at Kings Mountain Hospital, says "The test is effective because it allows doctors to visualize the outline of most abnormalities."

The colonoscopy is an extremely effective and accurate diagnostic. In this procedure, a flexible lighted tube is inserted into the colon to look for abnormal growths. The colonoscopy is connected to a video camera and video display monitor allowing the doctor to closely examine the inside of the colon. "It is a relatively short procedure that can produce very positive results," says Barbara Reichert, a nurse in Endoscopy at Kings Mountain Hospital.

Osemeka says a colonoscopy is the best diagnostic testing for colon cancer. "A colonoscopy offers a distinct advantage in that the doctor can remove any small precancerous polyps as soon as they are found, making it the only screening test that can prevent cancer, not just detect it," says Osemeka. "I recommend having one every 3-5 years to assure there are no cancerous growths, especially if polyp has been found."

Kings Mountain Hospital is holding a free colon cancer screening on April 27, from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. It will include a rectal exam and a fecal blood test. Experts estimate if more people underwent routine screening to find small tumors, the death toll due to colon cancer would drop 50 to 70 percent, saving almost 30,000 to 40,000 lives each year.

Kings Mountain Hospital wants you to be aware that colon cancer is preventable and treatable, if you take the proper precautionary steps. Ask your physician what you can start doing to make sure you are not a victim of this disease.

By: Missy Sheaff
Kings Mountain Hospital