In the last Your Health newsletter, I wrote about the 8 Warning Signs of Colon Cancer. Colon cancer is on the rise in younger adults and guidelines now recommend colon cancer screenings at age 45. I asked readers to tell me about their colon cancer screenings. Here is one of their stories.
I was 49 in 2019 and began experiencing abdominal issues including significant rectal bleeding. I tried to ignore it, brushing it off as stress or perimenopause.
When it didn't resolve, I met with my doctor. At that time, the recommendation was still to start screening at 50, but I was able to bypass the age restriction to get screened based on my symptoms. I was glad I advocated for my health. I woke up after the colonoscopy to learn that the doctor discovered - and removed - a 20 mm polyp in my rectum. I was shocked. A biopsy was immediately performed and thankfully came back clear. I recently received a follow-up procedure, which also came up clear. I was lucky. But I was also proactive. A 20 mm polyp is considered large and carries a significantly higher risk of cancer. Choosing to ignore my symptoms for another year may have had a negative
outcome. Women sometimes can be dismissed during the difficult years leading up to and into menopause. It is important to take any change seriously. Colonoscopies save lives. — Marsha Wayman, 56, Missouri
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