It's thought of as an "icky" cancer, the one no one wants to talk about. But talking about colorectal cancer -- especially with your doctor -- is an important way to protect your health.

Colorectal cancer, usually referred to as simply colon cancer, is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States. It's expected to claim more than 52,000 lives in 2007. African Americans are hit particularly hard by this disease; they have higher incidence and death rates from colorectal cancer than whites, Hispanics, Asian Americans, or Native American/Pacific Islander people in the US.

Yet millions of people (of all races) aren't doing the one thing that could keep them from becoming part of that statistic: getting screened for this disease.

Colon cancer screening tests can find the disease at its earliest stages, when it is easier to treat and people have a much better chance of survival. These tests can even prevent the disease entirely by finding colon growths called polyps so they can be removed before they turn into cancer.

The American Cancer Society recommends regular colon cancer screening for everyone 50 and older. People who have a higher-than-average risk of colon cancer -- because someone in their family had the disease, for instance -- may need to begin screening at a younger age.

Medicare covers several types of colorectal cancer screening. Many insurance plans also cover this vital service.

Experts say it's important to get screened for colon cancer even if no one in your family ever had the disease; most colon cancers occur in people with no family history. It's also important to be screened even if you feel fine, because early colon cancer often has no symptoms.

"Symptoms can be a sign of more advanced disease," says Richard C. Wender, MD, national volunteer president of the American Cancer Society. "Finding colon cancer before symptoms develop dramatically increases the likelihood of a cure."

About 90% of people whose colon cancer is found at an early stage survive at least 5 years after treatment. Unfortunately, only about 39% of colorectal cancers are caught this early. The rest are found after the cancer has already spread to nearby lymph nodes or organs (where the 5-year survival rate drops to 68%), or even distant parts of the body (where the 5-year survival rate is only 10%).

If you do notice symptoms like changes in bowel habits or rectal bleeding, you should talk with your doctor right away.

If you develop colon cancer, modern treatments may help improve your prognosis. Doctors have learned new ways to deliver chemotherapy and new drug combinations that can be more effective than those used in the past.

There are also new targeted drugs available to treat colorectal cancer. Erbitux (cetuximab) and Vectibix (panitumumab) can cause some colon tumors to shrink. So can Avastin (bevacizumab). Clinical trials are now studying different combinations of these drugs with chemotherapy.

Researchers are also experimenting with vaccines that could help the body's immune system fight colorectal cancer.

Article date: Feb. 26, 2007