Welcome to the Pocahontas Medical Clinic Awareness page.
Each month we will focus on a significant health concern in an effort to continue to provide the best healthcare for our patients.
March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness month. There will be an estimated 140,000 new cases diagnosed this year, and over 56,000 deaths. Colorectal cancer can usually be treated, but early detection is critical. Stage I colorectal cancer has a 94% survival rate, compared to 11% survival at stage IV.
Colorectal cancer can present with different symptoms but some of the more common presenting symptoms include:
-changes in bowel habits (diarrhea/constipation)
-changes in stool color or size (smaller diameter)
-blood in stool or bleeding from rectum
-abdominal pain or cramping
Colorectal cancer screening recommendations have recently changed. In 2018 the American Cancer Society issued new recommendations that lowered the age of screening of average risk patients to 45. There are several types of screening tests available including fecal occult blood testing, fecal DNA testing, and visual testing like colonoscopy.
We all have someone close to us that has been affected by this disease. Please talk to your healthcare provider about getting your screening test.
~ Dr. Drew Dawson
