Being a caregiver is in Vicki Ball’s DNA. The retired registered nurse says she is at her best when she is taking care of others. But don’t let that word retired fool you. Vicki is still taking care of others — just in a slightly different capacity. Vicki’s nursing career began as an licensed practical nurse…
If you’ve been avoiding getting a colon cancer screening, there are colonoscopy alternatives such as Cologuard or a fecal immunochemical test (FIT) that can catch colon cancer early while it’s still very treatable. A colonoscopy is the best way to detect colon cancer and allows the surgeon to remove any polyps or tumors during the…
The old saying goes, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away,” but the effects of a healthy diet and lifestyle go way beyond a yearly trip to the doctor’s office and can help prevent colon cancer. Diet, exercise and lifestyle have been shown to help reduce the risk for several diseases, including colon cancer…
Colon cancer is a treatable cancer, especially if it is caught in the early stages. Screening saves lives every year. Steven Patton, D.O., family medicine physician, Norton Medical Group, wants African Americans to know that they can benefit from colon cancer screening beginning at age 45. Why should African Americans make this cancer screening a…
This story is also available in English La preparación para una colonoscopia no es nada de lo que haya que temer. Considere que se trata de una buena limpieza sin el dolor o las sensaciones desagradables que puede relacionar con la diarrea. La planificación anticipada facilitará la preparación de la colonoscopia. La limpieza del colon…
The recommended age for colonoscopy and other colon cancer screenings is increasingly considered to be 45 for those at average risk, five years earlier than the previous guidance. The risk of developing colon cancer is lower in adults under 50, but recent trends have shown that risk increasing, according to the U.S. Preventive Services Task…
The American Cancer Society recommends that people at average risk of colorectal cancer begin regular screening at age 45. People at higher risk for colorectal cancer should talk with their doctor about whether starting screening earlier might be right for them. While you may know that you need a colorectal cancer screening, you may be…
Perhaps you put off cancer screenings over the past few years. Delays of just a few months in detecting various forms of cancer can make treatment more difficult and reduce chances of survival. Here’s a guide to tests that can detect cancer and who should get checked when. Breast cancer Mammogram — an X-ray of…
Health providers like to know what medical conditions your blood relatives have had. Called a family history, it can help your provider know what conditions you might be at risk for. Family history is just one of many risk factors for any number of conditions, including colon cancer. Some risk factors can change. These include…
Maybe you’ve heard a story that you’ll have to drink some kind of awful-tasting liquid, and then you’ll be in the bathroom all day and night. Maybe you’re afraid colonoscopy prep will be so bad you’ll feel sick. Whatever rumors you’ve heard, the truth is that colonoscopy prep options have gotten much easier in recent years,…
According to the American Cancer Society, African Americans have the highest rate of death and the shortest rate of survival for colorectal cancer. In fact, African Americans are 40% more likely than other groups to die from colon cancers, and 20% more likely to get colon cancer in general. When detected early with proper screening,…
News of actor Chadwick Boseman’s death at age 43 came with the announcement that he had been diagnosed with colon cancer in 2016 and it had progressed to stage 4. The actor, who so nobly depicted Jackie Robinson in “42,” James Brown in “Get On Up,” Thurgood Marshall in “Marshall” and T’Challa in “Black Panther,” kept…