How Colonoscopies Can Reduce Your Colon Cancer Risk
- "EastEnders" soap opera star Dean Gaffney, 45, says large polyps were found inside his intestine during a wellness check ahead of his appearance on the reality show “I’m a Celebrity.”
- Colon cancer, or colorectal cancer, is a type of cancer that affects your large intestine (colon) or the end of your intestine (rectum). An estimated 106,970 new cases of colon cancer will be diagnosed this year according to the American Cancer Society.
- A colonoscopy is a procedure doctors use to screen for colon cancer by looking inside your colon.
- The cancer starts when abnormal lumps called polyps grow in the colon or rectum.
- It can take up to 10 years for a colon polyp to become full-blown cancer, which gives doctors time to remove the polyp before it causes a problem.
If it wasn’t for a reality TV show medical team, "EastEnders" soap opera star Dean Gaffney, 45, says he “might not be here today.
Ahead of his appearance on the popular reality show "I'm A Celebrity," Gaffney had to get a check-up to make sure he was healthy for the competition. But it was this appointment that led to the discovery of large growths in his intestines that doctors said could have soon turned into cancer.
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The actor is expressing immense gratitude to the ITV medical team for finding large precancerous polyps inside of him. Polyps are small growths in the colon that are not yet cancerous but have the potential to develop into cancer.
Gaffney’s polyps were discovered in 2020 as he was preparing for an appearance on the television show "I'm a Celebrity…South Africa." He underwent a routine wellness check ahead of the show, and it was then that doctors found something unusual.
"I was losing blood somewhere,” Gaffney said, suggesting that doctors suspected he had anemia (low red blood count) or an iron deficiency.
Doctors then gave Gaffney a colonoscopy. During the procedure, a long thin tube attached to a camera is used to examine the colon and rectum.
"Later that day the results showed they had found polyps which were massive. One was huge. I think 20mm, which is big for a polyp," Gaffney said.
Doctors rushed the actor into immediate surgery to remove the polyps.
"When I came round, I could see the doctors were slightly angry with me and it was serious," Gaffney said.
"The doctors were asking, ‘Why didn't I notice blood in my stool…Had you not come to us today, in three years that could have turned to bowel cancer. You've been very lucky,’" Gaffney explained.
It’s unclear if Gaffney did in fact notice any blood in his stool (a symptom of larger polyps), but the actor is using the experience to encourage others to be mindful of their health.
What Is a Colonoscopy?
A colonoscopy is a procedure doctors use to screen for colon cancer by looking inside your colon.
This procedure requires your colon to be "cleaned out." To clear out your colon, your doctor will prescribe a "bowel prep," which is a liquid you drink the night before the procedure. The prep acts as a laxative that causes you to have multiple loose stools before your procedure.
Once your colon is cleared out, the gastroenterologist performing the procedure can have a clear look to evaluate if any polyps or masses are present.
The American Cancer Society recently recommended that beginning at age 45, patients undergo a colonoscopy every 10 years. However, more frequent colonoscopies are recommended if a polyp is found. While most major national organizations put no maximum age limit on colonoscopy screening, government guidelines suggest people 76 and over talk to their doctor about whether further screening is needed.
Depending on the size and number of polyps found, it is recommended that patients undergo a repeat colonoscopy within three to five years.
Dr. Murrell a colorectal cancer surgeon and Director of the Cedars-Sinai Colorectal Cancer Center explains the colonoscopy procedure to SurvivorNet.
"When we see a polyp, we actually physically take the polyp out through the colonoscope," explained Dr. Zuri Murrell.
"What does that mean? That means we basically put a wire through with a little bit of a little flange at the end and we pull the polyp out. Now, note there is no pain with that. Inside the colon, there are no pain fibers. So there’s no pain," Dr. Murrell added.
The advantage of a colonoscopy is that your doctor can remove any polyps found during the test. Many colon cancers can be caught on colonoscopy before they develop, or when the polyps are small enough to be removed without surgery.
What Are Colon Polyps?
A colyn polyp, like what doctors discovered in Dean Gaffney, is a “small clump of cells that forms on the lining of the colon,” according to Mayo Clinic.
When you have a colonoscopy, the gastroenterologist looks for polyps inside your intestine. Although polyps can't be felt, they can be picked up by screening tests before they cause a problem – such as colon or rectal (colorectal) cancer.
It takes up to 10 years for a colon polyp to become full-blown cancer, which gives doctors time to remove the polyp before it becomes a bigger issue.
A polyp that is found during a colonoscopy is removed, which can prevent the development of cancer. Almost all polyps that are removed are precancerous, meaning that they have not yet progressed to cancer.
Expert Colon Cancer Resources
Understanding Colon Cancer
Colon cancer, or colorectal cancer, is a type of cancer that affects your large intestine (colon) or the end of your intestine (rectum). An estimated 106,970 new cases of colon cancer will be diagnosed this year according to the American Cancer Society.
The cancer starts when the polyps grow in the colon or rectum. If you don't have these polyps removed, they can sometimes become cancerous.
"We know that colon cancers can be prevented when polyps are found early," Dr. Heather Yeo, Colorectal Surgeon, and Surgical Oncologist
Weill Cornell Medicine and New York-Presbyterian told SurvivorNet.
When polyps become colon cancer, it can cause symptoms and warning signs that include:
- Change in bowel movement
- Bloody stool
- Diarrhea, constipation, or feeling the bowel does not empty completely
- Unexplained weight loss
- Constant abdominal pain or cramps
WATCH: Do I need colon cancer screening?
The average age at the time of diagnosis for colon cancer is 68 for men and 72 for women, according to the American Cancer Society. For rectal cancer, it is age 63 for both men and women.
However, there's a concerning trend of more and more younger people being diagnosed colorectal cancer.
"We know rates are increasing in young people, but it's alarming to see how rapidly the whole patient population is shifting younger, despite shrinking numbers in the overall population," said Rebecca Siegel, lead author of a recently published report in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians that outlines up-to-date- colorectal cancer statistics.
"In contrast to decreasing CRC [colorectal cancer] incidence in older adults, rates have been increasing in adults aged 2039 years since the mid-1980s and in those aged 4054 years since the mid-1990s," the report reads.
"From 2011 through 2019, rates increased by 1.9% per year in people younger than 50 years and in those aged 5054 years.
Plus, the research found an increase in people being diagnosed at more advanced stages than in the mid 1990s, before there was widespread screening.
Colonoscopy Screening Guidelines
It is recommended that you get your first colonoscopy at age 45, but the guidelines differ depending on your risk category.
If you have a close relative who had colon cancer, a rule of thumb is to get screened 10 years prior to their age of diagnosis. If you have several family members who had colon cancer, or family members who got it at a young age (less than 50 years old), it may be necessary to undergo genetic screening.
If several polyps are found during your colonoscopy or if you experienced colon cancer previously, you will need a colonoscopy every three to five years.
"What happens is people often don’t know that they have colon cancer. They don’t have any symptoms. That’s why we screen for colon cancer in the United States," explained Dr. Heather Yeo, a medical advisor to SurvivorNet.
"If you have any family history of colon cancer, you should be screened about 10 years before your family member had colon cancer. So if you have a family member that was 53, you should be screened at 43," Dr. Yeo added.
Questions to Ask Your Doctor
- What are my treatment options based on my diagnosis?
- If I'm worried about managing the costs of cancer care, who can help me?
- What support services are available to me? To my family?
- Could this treatment affect my sex life? If so, how and for how long?
- What are the risks and possible side effects of each treatment, both in the short term and the long term?
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.