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Colorectal cancer: are you at risk?
3rd most commonly diagnosed kind of cancer in Canada
90% chance it is curable if caught at the earliest stage
50 year-olds and up should be screened, regardless of family history
How is colorectal cancer diagnosed and treated?
1. Screening- A Fecal Occult Blood Test can be done at home. Stool samples are then sent to the laboratory, where they are tested for microscopic blood.
2. Colonoscopy- If the test is positive, and microscopic blood is found, you will undergo a colonoscopy. A flexible tube is used to carefully examine the lining of the rectum and colon.
3. Treatment- Treatment plans vary, as no two patients are the same. The 4 main treatments are: surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapies.
Colorectal cancer: by the numbers
In 2014, 24,000 Canadians will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer
That’s 67 Canadians diagnosed every day
In 5 years, the relative survival rate is 64% of men and 65% of women
Useful resources:
– Sunnybrook’s Odette Cancer Centre: sunnybrook.ca/cancer
– Colon Cancer Canada: coloncancercanada.ca
– Colorectal Cancer Association of Canada: colorectal-cancer.ca
– Canadian Cancer Society: cancer.ca
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Learn more about colorectal cancer care at Sunnybrook’s Odette Cancer Centre
