The symptoms in women and men may be so subtle or nonexistent that colon cancer can go undetected until it's too late. The recommendation is to have a colonoscopy by the age of 50. However, if you have a family history of colon cancer, then speak with your doctor so that she/he may determine whether or not you should have the procedure done. The screening options are there.While each journey is unique, we all share a common theme - cancer changes our lives forever.
And now for our feature of journeys brought to you by the National Cancer Institute
The line that stays with me from this post is that symptoms in women and men can be so subtle, or nonexistent, that colon cancer goes undetected until it is too late — that is exactly why the screening message matters. Setting out the options plainly, from a colonoscopy by the age of 50 to the fecal occult blood test and sigmoidoscopy, and urging anyone with a family history to speak to their doctor sooner, makes it easy for readers to act on. I have been reading the episodes and show notes at oncbrothers alongside posts like this, and your line that every journey is unique yet cancer changes our lives forever could sit at the top of any of them. Thank you for keeping this in front of people.
ReplyDeleteShort, direct, and potentially life-saving — "Make That Call" is exactly the right headline for this. The point about symptoms being so subtle or nonexistent that the cancer goes undetected is the scariest and most convincing part of the screening message. Thank you for keeping this reminder in front of people; one phone call really can change everything.
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