The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Highlighting colon cancer screening
TORRINGTON — Mayor Elinor Carbone declared March Colon Cancer Awareness Month in the city Tuesday, shining a spotlight on a common risk that can be mitigated with care.
Dr. William Coll of Connecticut GI, a gastroenterological practice located on Alvord Park Road, received the proclamation from Carbone.
Among the types of cancer, colon cancer is the second-leading killer of men and women in the United States, Coll said — an average person has a six percent chance of developing it in their lifetime.
But people can help address the risk of the condition by getting regular screenings and instituting some lifestyle changes, such as eating fresh fruits and vegetables, exercising, and limiting saturated fats, Coll said.
Colon cancer begins as a polyp, which can then, over five to ten years, develop into the full-blown condition.
These can be seen during colonoscopies and other forms of screenings and addressed before they become cancerous.
“Colon cancer is really highly preventable. Polyps are pre-cancerous lesions, so they’re not cancer,” said Coll. “Colonoscopies (are) very effective at removing them and preventing cancers.”
He said the average person 50 and older should be checked, with those with a family history of the condition being screened earlier.
Coll said he was pleased to have Carbone promote awareness of colon cancer in the city.
“That’s the biggest thing — the best screening test is the one that gets done, and so just letting people know that it’s important to do has been very helpful,” said Coll.
Coll said the rate of colon cancer diagnoses has been falling in people 50 and
older, which has been attributed to increased screening.
It is a form of cancer that can be addressed with care, Coll said. It is highly preventable, and even those found to have an early form of the disease typically have a good prognosis. But if people wait until they develop symptoms, that hurts their outlook.
“We tell patients that with colonoscopy, for instance, that we feel that we can lower their colon cancer risk by probably somewhere
between 70 and 80 percent,” said Coll. “(I)t’s not a difficult thing to go through; doesn’t take a lot of time necessarily. And for most people it’s every ten years — so the idea is you get two or three done over the course of your life, you shouldn’t have to worry about getting colon cancer.”
For those who would feel more comfortable with a woman conducting their colon cancer screening, Coll noted that Connecticut GI would soon welcome gastroenterologist Chioma Ihunnah, who also has an interested in the medical treatment of obesity, in mid-August.
“We think that’ll be really very helpful for some patients,” said Coll. “We’re very excited. She’s going to be a great addition to the medical community in Torrington.”
Carbone has promoted colon cancer awareness in the city with a proclamation regularly in recent years.