In 2009, Delia Wilson attributed her regular stomach pains to the stress of attending graduate school and working full time.
As the pain persisted, her GP recommended she undergo a colonoscopy, which revealed scar tissue but said there was nothing potentially life-threatening.
But when the pain returned in 2021 and she started bleeding, Wilson underwent a biopsy.
The results, and the manner in which the gastroenterologist performed the procedure, were disastrous. “‘You have cancer!’ He just blurted it out,” Wilson said. “He didn’t speak to me with compassion. I had to leave. I left crying and ended up walking home.”
find new hope
She wanted a second opinion and needed to quickly find another compassionate doctor before the cancer spread.
An Internet search from his home in Santa Barbara led him to Dr. Kevork K. Kazanjian, a colorectal surgeon at UCLA Health. He confirmed her diagnosis and told her about some options for dealing with her cancer.
“He said that radiation therapy, which can shrink the tumor but not cure it, is possible.” He said that because the cancer had not spread anywhere else in the body, chemotherapy was I said I didn’t need it,” Wilson said. Surgery is the most aggressive, and preferably the surest, approach to removing cancer while it is still in its early stages.
Early diagnosis and treatment are essential
““The prognosis for colorectal cancer is highly dependent on the stage of the cancer at the time of diagnosis,” Dr. Kazanjian said. “The earlier a disease is diagnosed, the better the chance of cure. Early detection through screening, such as the gold standard colonoscopy, leads to earlier diagnosis and, for most people, overall It improves outcomes and survival.”
Wilson’s surgery was successful and he continues to recover. She advises others to visit their GP regularly and get any recommended tests. “If there is a problem, it will be discovered through testing. Also, if you have polyps, they can be removed before they develop into life-threatening disease,” she said.
Colorectal cancer risk factors
The main risk factors for colorectal cancer are age and genetics. People who have a first-degree relative (parent, sibling, or child) who was diagnosed with colon cancer or advanced polyps before age 60 should undergo a colonoscopy every 5 years, starting 10 years earlier than the age at which the family member was diagnosed. You will need to undergo a mirror examination. 40 years old, whichever comes first.
Current guidelines recommend screening begins at age 45 for average-risk adults. This is important because there are often no symptoms in the early stages of the disease. “Most patients diagnosed through screening are asymptomatic,” Dr. Kazanjian says. “People who are not tested will not be diagnosed until they develop symptoms.”
Although colonoscopy is the gold standard, there are other non-invasive tests to detect colon cancer.There are two types of at-home stool-based tests. The FIT (fecal immunochemical test) test looks for blood in the stool and must be repeated annually. Multi-target stool DNA testing detects specific DNA changes in blood and stool and is recommended every three years. Another option is CT colonography. This requires bowel preparation similar to a colonoscopy, but is done using a CT scan. CT colonography is performed every 5 years.
Positive findings on stool-based colonography or CT colonography should be followed up with colonoscopy. People with a family history of colon cancer or who have had a first-degree relative with advanced colon polyps should have a colonoscopy instead of a stool-based test.
nutritional lifestyle changes
Diet may also be a factor. Eating red and processed meat may increase your risk of developing colon cancer. Other risk factors include lack of exercise, being overweight, and drinking alcohol and tobacco.
Since her surgery, Wilson has maintained a low-fiber diet and stayed well hydrated to avoid possible intestinal blockages, a potential result of stomach, colon, and ovarian cancer.
“At Delia, we want to prioritize consistent dietary intake and protein, because that’s important during cancer treatment,” he said. Emma Veilleux, RDNsenior dietitian at the Sims/Mann-UCLA Integrative Oncology Center.
As Wilson continues to recover from surgery, he remains optimistic that he will overcome his illness.
“It feels like a never-ending journey,” she said. “But I know there is light at the end of the tunnel.”