It can be difficult to identify a family history of colon cancer and to determine an individual’s risk for developing the disease.  To make a proper evaluation, doctors must have a complete and accurate family history.  However, a patient may be unaware of a family history of the disease.   Lack of communication with family members, premature deaths, extended families and more, can prevent us from knowing our full family history.

Also, some family members may just carry the genetic predisposition but may never develop it or had developed it before they passed away.  Getting a full family history is important, but sometimes hard to establish.  The closer an affected relation is to the patient, the higher the chance of inheriting.  This means parents, grandparents, parents siblings (aunt and uncles) and the patient’s own siblings, should be evaluated for any existing health conditions or predisposition for cancers, including colorectal cancer.  More often than not, a patient knows if a close family member has had the disease, because it is a devastating disease that affects most family members around them.  It would be hard to hide a disease of this magnitude.  The problem occurs when family members are estranged or twice removed in the family tree.

Colon cancer treatment begins with a Colonoscopy.  This procedure can detect benign or malignant polyps in the rectum and colon.  Benign polyps can develop into cancer and can be removed right then and there, during the Colonoscopy procedure.  A colon free of polyps lowers the risk of developing the disease.  It is recommended that by age 50 a first Colonoscopy is performed, but for those at higher risk, the procedure should be performed at a much younger age.  Removal of benign polyps during this procedure is minimally invasive colon surgery.

For those where malignant polyps are found, colon rectal surgery is recommended to remove the polyps and any affected surrounding tissue.  Before this is done, the patient is evaluated for any other primary cancers that may be present through an MRI or CT Scan.  A predisposition in a patient for colorectal cancer may also include a predisposition to other cancers such as endometrial cancer.  Predisposed patients are at risk of developing two primary cancers which could be two primary colon cancers or one primary colon cancer and one primary cancer elsewhere in the body such as the lungs or bones.

Prevention is always the best treatment and for those with a predisposition to the disease, by having two or more family members affected, should have a Colonoscopy for early detection.  There are other tests that can be given, when patients with affected family members are being evaluated.  Catching the disease before it starts or at an early stage, provides a positive diagnosis.  left undetected, is one of the top killers in the United States.

Make an a appointment today with Doctor Belizon at Minimally Invasive Colon & Rectal Surgery of South Florida for a check-up or any questions relating to colon treatments. Call anytime at  561-381-5991.

This entry was posted on Monday, November 16th, 2009 at 10:37 pm and is filed under Colon Cancer Treatment, Colon Surgery South Florida, Diverticulitis Facts, Gall Bladder Surgery, Hemorrhoid Symptoms, Minimally Invasive Florida Doctors. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.