It’s the fourth most common cancer in the U.S., and a recent study showed colon cancer is on the rise in younger adults.“We are seeing colon cancer in much younger patients under the age of 50,” said Dr. Bruce Salzberg with Atlanta Gastroenterology.“Obesity, smoking, alcohol, lack of physical activity -- those are obviously the kinds of things we try to eliminate,” Salzberg said.“No. 1 one is rectal bleeding. Many patients think that it’s hemorrhoids,” Salzberg said.
He said you should see a doctor before deciding it’s hemorrhoids and pay attention to symptoms like abdominal pain, unexplained weight loss and changes in bowel movements. “That’s the one thing I always tell my patients,” Salzberg said. “Many patients are afraid of a colonoscopy, but I tell them there’s nothing to be afraid about. It’s really a simple procedure. And the fact is it’s preventable if we could do a colonoscopy and let’s say we find a polyp, we remove that polyp, well, that polyp no longer can eventually change.