By Kunal Jani, MD, Chief Medical Officer , Ascension Sacred Heart Bay and Gulf
Last month was Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, but it’s not too late to prioritize your health by scheduling a screening. Increasing access to critical testing, including colonoscopies, is one of the reasons we opened our GI clinic, Ascension Sacred Heart Gastroenterology – Bay.
We are seeing more young people diagnosed with colon cancer, including actor James Van Der Beek, best known for his leading role in the 90s television series Dawson’s Creek. Van Der Beek announced his stage 3 colon cancer diagnosis in 2024 and died last month at the age of 48.
Addressing the rising rates of colorectal cancer in younger adults, the U.S. The Preventative Services Task Force changed screening guidelines by lowering the recommended starting age for average-risk adults from 50 to 45 years old in May 2021. In Bay County, 42 people died from colon cancer in 2024, three of them between 45 and 50 years old.
Why Screening Matters
Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death for both men and women. However, it is also highly preventable.
- Early Detection Saves Lives: Finding colorectal cancer early, when it is most treatable, increases the survival rate by 90 percent.
- Prevention: Screenings can find and remove polyps before they ever have the chance to turn into cancer. It can take 10 to 15 years for a polyp to develop into cancer, providing a significant window for intervention.
- Rising Cases in Younger Adults: We are seeing an increase in colon and rectal cancer in patients younger than 50. In fact, about 10 percent of new colon cancer cases now occur in younger patients.
When Should You Get Screened?
Based on these trends, medical boards have updated their recommendations for first-time screenings.
- Start at Age 45: For most people, colon cancer screenings should now begin at age 45.
- Individual Risk Factors: If you have a personal or family history of polyps or colon cancer, inflammatory bowel disease or a genetic syndrome, you may need to start even earlier.
- Follow-up: After your first colonoscopy, most people only need to be screened every 10 years.
Warning Signs and Prevention
Colorectal polyps and cancer do not always cause symptoms, especially at first. This is why regular screening is critical. However, you should talk to your doctor immediately if you experience:
- A change in bowel habits.
- Blood in or on your stool.
- Persistent abdominal pain, aches or cramps.
- Unexplained weight loss.
Beyond screenings, you can reduce your risk by maintaining a healthy weight through regular exercise, eating a vegetable-heavy diet with less red meat and limiting alcohol consumption.
Schedule your screening
In Florida, roughly 30% of people who should be tested have not been. Our new GI clinic is here to bridge that gap.
Talk with your doctor about colon cancer screening; making that appointment could be a life-saving decision.
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