Bowel cancer accounts for nearly 10 percent of all cancer cases worldwide, making it the third most common cancer in the world. According to the World Cancer Research Fund International, early screening for bowel cancer reduces death rates by as much as 16 percent. For this reason, it is crucial that anyone who is symptomatic, has multiple risk factors for bowel cancer or who has a positive family history for the disease be screened regularly to check for bowel cancer.
Instructions
1. Watch for symptoms of bowel cancer, as early diagnosis is essential for a positive outcome. Early symptoms include rectal bleeding, fatigue and pale skin. The rectal bleeding may be mistaken for bleeding hemorrhoids. As the tumor grows, other symptoms may develop due to bowel obstruction. These symptoms include abdominal pain and distension, persistent nausea or vomiting, weight loss, changes in bowel movements, narrow stools, rectal pain and a sensation of needing to defecate.
2. Visit your doctor for a physical and rectal exam. During your appointment, your doctor may perform a digital rectal exam, which involves inserting a gloved finger through your anus and into your rectum. The procedure is not painful, although it may be physically and psychologically uncomfortable for some people.
3. Have your blood drawn to screen for signs of bowel cancer. Blood tests can check for the presence of anemia, which is very common in people with bowel cancer. Your doctor may also order a complete blood count and tests to make certain your kidneys and liver are functioning correctly.
4. Submit a stool sample to your doctor or hospital for analysis. The fecal occult blood test can look for traces of blood in your stool. Another, the fecal immunochemical test, may be performed at home or in the office. This test checks for the presence of blood proteins in the stool.
5. Undergo a colonoscopy to check for bowel cancer. A colonoscopy is performed using a thin, flexible tube with a camera on one end that is inserted into your colon through your anus. The test checks for the presence of tumors, polyps and other bowel and colon abnormalities. Colonoscopies may be uncomfortable, and you will need to drink a laxative solution prior to testing to flush out your bowel.
6. Schedule an appointment for an air-contract barium enema, a test that uses barium and X-rays to check for bowel tumors. Barium is introduced into your bowel through your anus, and then multiple X-rays will be taken to identify tumors and other abnormalities.
7. Have a computed tomography (CT) scan of your abdomen and chest performed if any of your other examinations showed abnormalities. CT scans look for tumors and are used to determine if bowel cancer has spread. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan may be done in addition to, or instead of, the CT scan.
8. Repeat your colonoscopy at regular intervals as determined by your doctor. You will need to be retested following surgery for bowel cancer or if you are at risk for the disease. A measurement of your carcinoembryonic antigen level may also be used to check for bowel cancer recurrence.
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