Colorectal cancer is treatable - and often cured - when doctors diagnose it early
Our multidisciplinary team of board-certified, fellowship-trained physicians work together with our tumor boards to create a personalized treatment plan for your cancer.
Sentara provides care and support during colon cancer treatment
Learn more about colon cancer
Colorectal cancer, a type of gastrointestinal cancer, occurs when a tumor grows in the lining of the large intestine. The large intestine includes the colon and the part of the colon just before the anus (rectum). Colorectal cancer may start as polyps or abnormal growths.
Colon cancer facts and figures
More than half of all colon cancer diagnoses can be attributed to lifestyle factors that can be improved, such as:
- Cigarette smoking
- Diet that is high in red and processed meats
- Diet that is low in fruits, vegetables and fiber
- Excess body weight and obesity
- Heavy alcohol consumption
- Physical inactivity, sedentary lifestyle
Additional risk factors include:
Family history: Having a close family member (parent, sibling, or child) with colon cancer or colorectal polyps increases your risk.
Genetics: Certain genetic conditions, such as Lynch syndrome and familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), significantly increase the risk of colon cancer.
Having other conditions: Having inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis or type 2 diabetes makes people more likely to develop colon cancer.
While many people with colon polyps and early-stage colon cancer won't experience symptoms, people of all ages should be aware of some common symptoms.
Anyone experiencing the following symptoms should talk to a healthcare provider:
- Rectal bleeding: Blood coming from the rectum or blood in the stool or the toilet after a bowel movement.
- Unusual stools: You should investigate any changes in your stool. This includes dark (or black) stools or changes in stool size, such as narrow or thin stools.
- Changes in bowel movements: Includes loose stool (diarrhea) or constipation, especially if the changes occurred in the last two weeks or more.
- Low energy and fatigue: These symptoms may be caused by blood loss, and it’s a good idea to rule out colorectal concerns.
If you notice changes in your stool, talk to your healthcare provider immediately.
Regular screening for colorectal cancer helps ensure that doctors find cancer when it is most treatable. We offer prevention and screening services at several convenient locations.
Our cancer experts use several different tests to diagnose colorectal cancer. We start by talking with you about any family members who've had colon cancer to understand your risk factors.
For individuals at average risk of colon cancer, screening starts at age 45. This can be done either with a sensitive test that looks for signs of cancer in a person’s stool (a stool-based test), or with an exam that looks at the colon and rectum (a visual exam).
- A personal history of colorectal cancer or certain types of polyps
- A family history of colorectal cancer
- A personal history of inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease)
- A confirmed or suspected hereditary colorectal cancer syndrome, such as familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) or Lynch syndrome (hereditary non-polyposis colon cancer or HNPCC)
- A personal history of getting radiation to the abdomen (belly) or pelvic area to treat a prior cancer
People over age 85 should no longer get colorectal cancer screening.
Stool-based tests
- Highly sensitive fecal immunochemical test (FIT), needed every year
- Highly sensitive guaiac-based fecal occult blood test (gFOBT), needed every year
- Multi-targeted stool DNA test with fecal immunochemical testing (MT-sDNA or sDNA-FIT or FIT-DNA), needed every 3 years
- Should be repeated every 10 years
Learn more about screening guidelines for colorectal cancer.
We consider your age, cancer stage and your overall health when developing your personalized colorectal cancer treatment plan. Cancer treatments may include:
- Ablation
- Chemotherapy.
- Immunotherapy
- Surgery
- Partial colectomy
- Total colectomy
- Radiation therapy
- Targeted therapy
Our experts and partners also research new ways to treat cancer. Please read about our work at Sentara Health Research Center.
Don't wait to screen for colon cancer
- Schedule your colonoscopy beginning at age 45 if you are at average risk.
- Remember that early colon cancer does not have signs or symptoms, so it is important to get screened.
- With screening and early diagnosis, colon cancer can be cured.
- A polyp can take up to 10 years to develop into cancer. With colonoscopies, doctors can remove polyps before they turn into cancer.
Additional information:
Resources for colon cancer caregivers
Talking to a loved one about cancer
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