http://www.bloggernews.net/127807 High-quality English language analysis and editorial writing on the news. Mon, 20 May 2013 16:55:59 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 http://www.bloggernews.net/127807#comment-2218289 barbinOhio Sun, 26 Feb 2012 07:37:37 +0000 http://www.bloggernews.net/127807#comment-2218289 I am a colon cancer survivor. I had no symptoms other than fatigue.In fact my family Doctor waited 3 months before deciding to send me for a colonoscopy.(even then she thought I was totally healthy.)I had no family history of colon cancer or polyps. I was 50 years old so she said it was time anyway. The colonoscopy found a lemon sized growth. I had surgery 1 week later. Urgently done at the insistence of my Gastrologist (who had found the growth).It was cancer and the surgery took almost 7 hours due to the size and the far reach lymph nodes affected. My Oncologist told me if I had waited another six weeks I would not have lived to see my next birthday!!
I had several other polyps as well. All cancerous. I have had a colonoscopy every three years since my cancer was discovered. Everyone of the subsequent colonoscopies has discovered dysplastic polyps(pre cancerous polyps)that if left unremoved will be full blown cancerous polyps. Due to my health history, all of my children have had colonoscopies, beginning at ages 28, 33 and 35. My son had 3 polyps that would have become cancer if not removed. He was only 35 at the time. My cancer fist started when I was approximately 40 years old according to the Drs. My sons good friend is 38 and is now in advanced stages of colon cancer, stage 4.?H?e had no family history of cancer of any kind. He may have 6 more months of life. 38 years old and he is dying of this preventable disease.Since Colon cancer early symptoms are often infrequent or even non existant,I would tell everyone to have a colonoscopy at age 35 to no later than 40. Although colony cancer is rare in people under 50, it is does happen more than we are told. I am an example and unfortunately so is this young man. Death from colon cancer is one of the most easily prevented. Please do not be a statistic, have the procedure done even f your Dr says you are too young to worry about it. It may just save your life. It certainly did save mine.

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