HOUSTON – Karen Moore said she never got a colonoscopy, because she was a healthy, athletic person.
She says if she had known what a lifesaving tool they are, she wouldn't be a cancer patient now.
“We all try to plan for when we get old, and I guess I’m there,” Moore said with a worried look. “I have colon cancer, and it's metastasized to my lymph nodes.”
Dr. Lewis Foxhall, a professor of clinical cancer prevention at the MD Anderson Cancer Center, said many patients, like Moore, often ignore health screenings, and by the time they feel symptoms of bloating, bleeding or weight loss, it's too late.
“On the other hand, if we do the test as recommended at the appropriate time and do them regularly, either find the cancer very, very early, where it's quite treatable, and most people do great or remove polyps and decrease cancer in the first place, which is even better,” Foxhall said.
It is recommended for people to start colonoscopies at 50 years old. People with family histories can start sooner in life.
Foxhall is part of a unique program co-sponsored by MD Anderson and a Medicaid Waiver, where, in an effort to decrease the significant numbers of colorectal cancer patients, they're offering free, take-home screenings to residents through Houston area community health clinics.
According to the program’s website, “If you are between the ages of 50 and 75, have not had a positive stool test in the past 12 months and have not had a colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy in the past five years, you may qualify to participate.”
“If your test is positive, you will be offered a free colonoscopy screening test, which may find polyps or cancer. The polyps may be removed during the procedure. FIT-Flu cannot pay if you need more testing or if you need treatment for cancer. FIT-Flu staff will help direct you to resources for treatment.”
Take-home tests are available for low-income and uninsured individuals. For additional program information or questions, please contact: 1-877-632-6789 or click here.
“Do the test at home, and find out if there's any blood in the stool,” Foxhall said. “So, this is a very early warning symptom, and it detects such small amounts, you wouldn't even be able to see it.”
For patients living with regret, like Moore, she says this leaves no reason for anyone to ignore a chance at catching the illness early.
“It's changed every aspect of my life,” she said.
MD Anderson’s Sprint for Colorectal Oncology Prevention and Education (SCOPE) program is an annual event that raises funds for colorectal cancer awareness. Its signature event is an annual 5K run in March to recognize colorectal cancer awareness month. The 5K is next Saturday, March 12. Click here for details.