Colorectal cancer is not uncommon, but it is unique because it is preventable, according to Rajinder Kaushal, M.D. and medical director of gastroentology at Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital.

"It almost never starts as cancer of the colon. It starts as a benign growth or polyp. Not every polyp is pre-cancerous, but some are and as they grow, so does the potential for cancer," Kaushal said.

Left unchecked, that cyst can develop into colon cancer, which The National Cancer Institute reported is now the third most common cancer and the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Anyone over 50 is susceptible and has a six percent chance of receiving a colon cancer diagnosis over their lifetime, according to Dr. Kaushal; if there's a family history of the disease involved, that number rises to 25 percent.

Self-detecting colon cancer is nearly impossible in the beginning stages, when symptoms are usually absent. In later stages, symptoms can mimic everything from anemia (fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath) change of bowel habits, blood in stools, weight loss, abdominal pain, cramping, or bowel blockage.

"I have patients come in with rectal bleeding and they'll say, 'Doctor, my hemorrhoids are bleeding,' but they turn out to have other causes of bleeding, including colon cancer. If you've over the age of 50 and have rectal bleeding, you should definitely have it checked out and not assume it's coming from hemorrhoids," Kaushal said. "If you have a family history, you should start screening at age 40 or 10 years before the age your family member was diagnosed with colorectal cancer."

Last year, Henry Mayo partnered with the Santa Clarita Valley Senior Center, KHTS, Westfield Valencia Town Center Mall and The American Cancer Society for weeklong distribution of complimentary colorectal cancer screening packets. The self-administered fecal occult tests determine if there is blood in the stool, a precursor to colorectal cancer. Of the 323 kits distributed, 194 kits were returned and five positive screenings resulted.

The next step to diagnosis can include a barium enema X-rays (commonly known as a lower GI) or a colonoscopy, regarded as the best screening measure available today. A colonoscopy involves insertion of a long, flexible viewing tube into the rectum and upwards for a comprehensive inspection of the entire colon. If polyps are found on the colon during the procedure, they are removed and examined by a pathologist for cancer.

"By and large, colonoscopy is not an uncomfortable procedure. Patients are sedated into a twilight sleep; it only takes about 10 to 15 minutes and they don't know what's going on. People are often more afraid because they don't want to know what may be going on in their bodies or they don't want to hear bad news," Kaushal said.

Bypassing a colonoscopy for any reason can be a costly health risk, however.

When caught in the early stages, colorectal cancer is extremely treatable, requiring only surgery. Using modern laproscopic techniques, recovery time has been greatly reduced. "Traditional surgery meant a week to ten days of recuperation. With laproscopic surgery, a patient's in the hospital for just four or five days," Kaushal said.

At the higher stages, the cancer can spread or metastasized to surrounding organs such as the liver, lungs or stomach cavity, requiring additional surgery and/or chemotherapy. In advanced cases of colon cancer, where the tumor has penetrated beyond the bowel wall and spread to distant organs, the five year survival rate is less than ten percent.

"Unfortunately, because there are no symptoms in the beginning, by the time they do arrive, it's often too late. That's why prevention and screening are so important," Kaushal said.

Besides annual screenings, Kaushal recommended a healthy lifestyle that includes regular exercise, a diet high in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, and avoidance of alcohol and smoking to aid in the prevention of colon cancer.

Learn more during a free presentation of "Risk Factors & Early Detection of Colon Cancer" with Rajinder Kaushal, M.D., David Krieger, M.D., and Thomas Joseph, M.D. on Monday, March 19, at 12:30 p.m. Henry Mayo Foundation Buildings 4 and 5, 23871 McBean Parkway, Valencia. From March 19 - 23, complimentary blood occult tests, which detect blood in the stools (a precursor to colorectal cancer), will be available through The Santa Clarita Valley Senior Center, KHTS, Westfield Valencia Town Center Mall and Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital. Completed tests need to be returned with 24-hours to Henry Mayo and no later than March 31. For more information, call (661) 253-8060 or visit www.henrymayo.com