This week, Bobbi Conner talks with Dr. Thomas Curran about colon cancer screening options. Dr. Curran is an Associate Professor of Surgery and a colorectal cancer surgeon at MUSC Hollings Cancer Center.
TRANSCRIPT:
Conner: I'm Bobbi Conner for South Carolina Public Radio with Health Focus here at the radio studio for the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. Colon cancer is relatively common in the U.S. The American Cancer Society estimates that one in every 24 men and one in every 25 women in the U.S. will develop colorectal cancer sometime in their lifetime. Doctor Thomas Curran is here to talk about the options available for screening for this type of cancer. Doctor Curran is an Associate Professor of Surgery and he's a colorectal cancer surgeon at MUSC Hollings Cancer Center. Doctor Curran, you are a surgeon who treats colon cancer all the time. What's your perspective on the importance of screening for colon cancer?
Dr. Curran: The best way to treat colon cancer is to prevent it from developing in the first place. So, we're very fortunate to have effective strategies to prevent colorectal cancer, or at least if not prevent it, then to find it early when we can treat it more successfully. So, screening is especially important because colorectal cancer may not cause symptoms until it's fairly advanced, when treatment options might be more limited.
Conner: What are the latest recommendations about who needs colon cancer screening?
Dr. Curran: For the average person, somebody without a family history of colorectal cancer screening should start at age 45. And this is important because just a few years ago it was 50. But in recognition of seeing colorectal cancer in younger patients, it is now 45. For patients who have a family history of colorectal cancer, it should start ten years younger than the youngest affected family member.
Conner: Well, what are the options that someone at average risk might consider for colon cancer screening?
Dr. Curran: The options fall into three categories. There's endoscopic testing like colonoscopy, stool based tests like Cologuard, or imaging studies like CT colonography. Each of those have their own pros and cons in terms of the procedure itself and how frequently they should be performed.
Conner: And how can an individual person, especially somebody at average risk at age 45, how can they pick the appropriate type of colon cancer screening?
Dr. Curran: Importantly, they can all be effective. Colonoscopy is the gold standard because it not only screens for colorectal cancer, but also can remove precancerous polyps to prevent cancer from developing in the first place. But you have to prepare for a colonoscopy, and that can be somewhat onerous, and you have to go in and spend a day getting this test. Stool based testing is something you can mail out from the comfort of your home, and that can be very effective as well to identify colorectal cancer. It is less good at finding precancerous polyps and if it is positive, then you still do need to go get a colonoscopy.
Conner: Tell us about the new blood test being used as screening for colorectal cancer.
Dr. Curran: Recently, scientists have developed a blood test that has been shown to be able to detect colorectal cancer. It identifies pieces of the genetic material of the tumor in the bloodstream. So, while it has its own pros and cons, I think this will be a valuable tool to reach more people for screening.
Conner: And is this blood test available now?
Dr. Curran: It is becoming more widely available. So, it is FDA approved, but it is not yet available in all circumstances.
Conner: Doctor Curran, thanks for this information about screening options for colon cancer.
Dr. Curran: You're welcome.
Conner: From the radio studio for the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, I'm Bobbi Conner for South Carolina Public Radio.
Health Focus transcripts are intended to accurately represent the original audio version of the program; however, some discrepancies or inaccuracies may exist. The audio format serves as the official record of Health Focus programming.
