Got a colon? You are at risk!

Dr. Alizah Rotramel, colorectal surgeon at Legacy Medical Group–Gastrointestinal Surgery on Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month:

March has rolled around again, bringing the promise of spring, Timbers games and college basketball playoffs.

You may see folks wearing blue t-shirts, buttons and stickers and even walk through a big inflatable colon on your way to work.

That's because it’s also National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.

Did you know...If you have a colon (and most of us do!), you are at risk for colorectal cancer?

Colorectal cancer is still the third most common cancer in the U.S., and the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States.

The risk of colorectal cancer increases as we age, and it is most common in people 50 and older. 

It is often silent—most people with precancerous colorectal polyps, and even early colorectal cancer, don’t have any symptoms at all.

Just having a colon puts us at risk for colorectal cancer, even if we don’t have any family history of cancer, and even if we keep a healthy lifestyle with proper nutrition, activity, and avoiding use of tobacco and excessive alcohol.

But there is good news! Colorectal cancer is preventable through screening, and when it is caught early, it can be cured.

Don’t wait for symptoms. If you have any questions about what testing is right for you, and when it is appropriate, please contact your doctor. You can also call our clinic, Legacy Medical Group–Gastrointestinal Surgery, at 503-413-5514 and we will be happy to answer your questions.

Please stay tuned throughout the month of March for more information about colorectal cancer, how to prevent it and what to watch out for.