Symptoms of colorectal cancer may include:
These symptoms may not mean that you have colorectal cancer, but if you notice unexplained changes and they persist for more than two weeks, it is time to call a doctor.
Anyone can develop colorectal cancer; however, a few conditions can increase your risk of developing it. Knowing your risk for getting colorectal cancer will help you decide when screening is right for you.
You are considered higher risk if you:
If any of these risk factors apply to you, talk with your healthcare provider about when to start screening.
Need a primary care provider? Browse our list of doctors that are accepting new patients.
Maintain a healthy diet
Eat a low calorie, high fiber diet that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and plant-based foods; limit red meat and processed foods.
Exercise regularly
Aim to get 30-60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day.
Avoid alcohol use
Limit the amount of alcohol you drink to no more than one drink a day.
Quit smoking
If you smoke and would like help quitting, please contact our Smoking Cessation Program.
Regular colorectal cancer screening is one of the most powerful tools for preventing and detecting colorectal cancer.
Screening is the process of looking for cancer or pre-cancer in people who have no symptoms of the disease. Screening can be done either with a sensitive test that looks for signs of cancer in a person’s stool (a stool-based test), or with an exam that looks at the colon and rectum (a visual exam).
The types of tests performed at our screening clinic include:
In addition to the screening options above, it is important to know your family history. Having a parent, sibling, or child (first-degree relative) or multiple family members on either side of your family who have had colorectal cancer puts you at higher risk.
Rochester Regional Health's Cancer Genetics Screening Program provides individualized hereditary cancer risk assessment, genetic counseling, and genetic testing services that help foster early cancer detection, prevention, and improved quality of life for you and your family.
Dr. Jason Gutman, a Gastroenterologist for Rochester Regional Health, debunks some of the myths around colorectal cancer screenings and colonoscopies.
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