Tag: colorectal cancer

Small Signs, Big Impact On Life

During the summer of 2021, in the first few weeks after Dunlap Family Outpatient Center opened on the main campus of St. Clair Health, a 45-year-old woman was referred to Mark A. Cedar, D.O., Chief of Gastroenterology and Director of the GI Lab at St. Clair Hospital. “At first I was happy to see someone who met the new screening age criteria (down from 50) for colorectal cancer exams coming in to see me. But there was a reason: a small change in bowel habits. Shannon presented with no weight loss and no abdominal pain and her labs showed iron deficiency anemia—which is not uncommon for a woman her age,” Dr. Cedar says.

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Importance of colorectal screenings

Colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer deaths among Americans, and studies show both the incidence and death rates among people younger than 50 are on the rise. Lifetime risk factors are similar in men and women, it can be reduced by increasing physical activity, keeping healthy weight, limiting alcohol consumption, and avoiding tobacco.

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