colon cancer in women

Absolutly...especially if Breast Cancer is prevelant in your family history! My OBGYN does a 'self check' on me every year with my PAP...I was told that whatever age my grandparent was diagnosed with something serious like cancer, my parent needed to be check 20 years before that and I need to be checked 10 years before them... for example: my grandmother was found to have Colon Cancer at age 68, my mom should have been checked at age 48, and I need to start testing at age 38...

My family has a strong history of cancer. Grandmother with breast cancer at 94, mother with colon cancer at age 73, uncle lung cancer, uncle stomach cancer, aunt with colon cancer, great aunt leukemia. These are all on maternal side. Brother now with prostate cancer at age 55 and me with stage 1b clear cell ovarian cancer at age 55 (no sign of disease now). I realize with older people and cancer, the docs have always told me, well they were just old enough.

I agree with Morecambie. Although colon cancer is rare in people under 40. It's not unheard of. Your bleeding could be something as minor as a hemorhoid or an anal fissure. I would definatly follow up with your doctor just to be on the safe side. Don't let them dismiss your symptoms just because you are young. Make sure they know without a shadow of doubt it's a hemorrhoid or fissure. If they can't, you may need further testing.

Hi, Lynch Syndrome can also be related to ovarian cancer. If there is any history of colon cancer in the family and the test for BRCA1/2 is negative they will test for Lynch Syndrome. Here are some notes from Mayo Clinic. Joy, my mother is going through testing now and they have decided to test for BRCA1/2 first. They will test for Lynch Syndrome down the line if need be. I had never heard of this so wanted to share.

Well, blood or fissures will not "cause" colon cancer, however blood in stools is a symptom of colon cancer(along with symptoms of many other GI issues) Anal fissures can pop back up, so if you had one before, you could certainly have another. Did you have a doctor diagnos the first one?

When I was 20 I had a colon cancer scare. I had bloody stool with occult blood in stool samples. Severe abdominal pain and lost thirty pounds in two months. During the colonoscopy they found a fold\ lesion and the doctor took a biopsy. It came back negative and the doctor ordered all kinds of test. Upper GI, CT Scan, and ultra sounds are the ones I recall. Anyway nothing ever explained what he found during the colonoscopy.

They are usually trained to perform surgery for early colon cancer, pancreatic and stomach cancers and even liver surgery. Many surgeons in this subspecialty have not had alot of experience with ovarian cancer.Or it is possible that your mother's doctor has had special surgical training for ovarian cancer (you should ask him how many case of debulking surgery (cytoreductive surgery) for ovarian cancer he has done.

Hi, colon cancer symptoms include a change in your bowel habits, including diarrhea or constipation or a change in the consistency of your stool, rectal bleeding or blood in your stool and unexplained weight loss or fatigue. So, primarily mucus secretion alone is more common with polyps. The colonoscopy will help confirm this. So, please dont worry. Regards.

My family is pretty healthy(knock on wood), with the exception of diabetes in the women in few cases, and colon cancer in the men- again in a few cases. I experienced a hemoroid at 17, and since then like once every year I see mucus in my rectum when I wipe. Again like once a year. I have cut out all red meat from my diet except for occasions like Thanksgiving or Christmas. I drink coffee once a day, because I heard it may help prevent prostate and colon cancer...

I asked the question as i wondered if coughing excessively could have irritated and inflamed the lining of the colon. I have been for lots of procedures recently as well as in hospital stays since posting in Feb, sorry i didn't reply. I have been diagnosed with diverticular desease in the descending colon.I have a colon polyp an extra long colon and a stricture in the sigmoid. I've had a failed colonoscopy and failed sigmoidoscopy. A Barium Enema. A CT tomonography and a CT Colonography.

I take 2 full strength aspirin daily for 5 1/2 years to help prevent recurrence of colon cancer and prevent new polyps in the colon. I have regular blood tests (huge list of tests all normal) and my CBC, Platelet Count and MV Platelet counts were well within normal ranges. I take no other medicine other than Centrum Vitamins, D3 and Calcium.

do all polyps turn into cancer? and are there different types of colon polyps?

Thanks for your input I am for sure going to get this taken care of with a specialist but I do have close family ties with colon cancer a grandpa who died of colon cancer at 70 and a father with polops at 50 (sp) I know that this is a bit far fetched but it does have me worried. I will let you know what I find out. I pray that its indeed what you mentioned and not anything more. Thanks!!!

re having such a frustrating time dealing with this and the colon cancer. I will keep you in my thoughts, I really hope they do cover your surgery for the colon cancer. Cant imagine not being covered for the surgery just because the insurance company can decide its pre existing... is there any way you can work with the dr to try to prove its not pre existing?

While colon cancer in a 34-year old is uncommon, it's still possible. So, I would go ahead with a lower endoscopy, either a flexible sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy. If the tests are negative, treatment for hemorrhoids, which statistically is the most likely cause, could be pursued. But I would do so only after endoscopy to exclude cancer. This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only.

Not to argue ... *whispers* I'm in the medical field... But there has been no peer reviewed scientific studies that definitively link increased folic acid intake to colon cancer. There have been some studies that suggest very, very high doses of folic acid "may" increase the chance of colon cancer in people already predisposed. The studies were not entirely conclusive. That being said, another study showed people with diets LOW in folic acid led to colon cancer.

Through colonoscopy Doctor can examine your colon to identify the polyps which are lead to colon cancer. All polyps are not cause colon cancer and if he find any polyps that cause cancer they can be removed.

My dad had colon cancer & Im wondering when I should begin to get check ups? Im 32 years old... Thanks...

You have had a coloscopy that is recent and your findings at that time were not such to raise the suspicions of colon cancer then or now with your doctor. Colon cancer is slow growing and that is why screenings are important because it allows it to be caught in treatable stages. The family history you have has already been taken into consideration. I would think a question for the doctor would be if the insurance company was not an issue, would they think you needed a colonoscopy right now?

My grandmother was 68 when she passed away back in 1990. Not sure what all was available then. I just know that in 1985 she had colon cancer just like Ronald Regan. I remember my parents noting that. She had chemo and apparently the doctor wasn't giving enough of chemo and cancer returned four years later and it was too late. So, my guess is she was 63 or so. I guess it was already cancer when they found out but it did go away and returned?

is the pain in right or left quadrants due to colon cancer constant or dull and daily coming-going kind?

Although you are very young to have developed colon cancer, there are cases where this disease has been noted in patients of your (and younger) age and, from the search I suggested above, colon cancer will be mentioned. I'm not trying to scare you - but, in similar postings, quite often the patient asks "could I have colon cancer"?

Family history of breast & colon cancer(mother) ,Mother's sister colon cancer, other sister had mastectomy father's's CV ovarian/¿ cancer. Father Lung cancer.

Colon cancer can be extremely hereditary! My mother-in-law has 4th stage colon cancer and it was recommended to my husband and his sister to have a colonoscopy at 40 years old. He did and they found 1 small (3mm) sized tumor that was found to be pre-cancerous. His sister's result was clear. So, that's 50% chance right there. I agree with quinroxanne, be very vigilant! Good luck.

Colon cancer in women

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