The Rock is famous for his strength, but recently, he took a few minutes to praise someone else's.
Anna Payne is a diehard Dwayne Johnson fan. In a letter to the actor, Payne's friend shared that she is such a super-fan that she once tried to convince an Applebees restaurant manager to let her take the life-sized Dwayne Johnson cut-out they had behind the bar home with her. Yesterday, Payne received a personalized message from her hero.
Read MoreAt the end of his inspiring message, The Rock let Payne know that she has more to look forward to: "I've got a cardboard cutout coming your way. I have your address, and I'm going to send you a few things. So, Anna, stay strong."
Colon Cancer and Cystic Fibrosis
According to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, adults with cystic fibrosis have 5 10 times greater risk of developing colorectal cancer when compared to the general population. Though the connection between the two conditions is thought to be caused by a gene mutation, it is not well understood.
The term "colorectal cancer" includes colon cancer and rectal cancer, depending on where the cancer begins. Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S., so it is important for people with cystic fibrosis to be vigilant about screening for the disease.
What Are Symptoms of Colorectal Cancer for Cystic Fibrosis Patients?
The symptoms that cystic fibrosis patients may experience from colorectal cancer are the same as the symptoms for the general population. These may include:
- Blood in your stool
- Persistent and escalating abdominal pain
- Unexpected weight loss
- Sudden and lasting changes to your bowel habits (may include constipation, or diarrhea)
- Anemia
Many patients, however, do not notice any symptoms until after they are diagnosed with colorectal cancer. You should not avoid colorectal screening just because you have not experienced symptoms. Dr. Alexander Khoruts, who researches the connection between cystic fibrosis and colorectal cancer and teaches at the University of Minnesota Medical School, told SurvivorNet that focusing on symptoms is risky. “The issue is that you don't want to wait for symptoms,” he said. “The best chance of either preventing it or curing it is to undergo early screening in absence of symptoms.”
Another challenge for cystic fibrosis patients is that the symptoms of colorectal cancer “are very common symptoms for people with cystic fibrosis by the nature of their disease,” said Dr. Khoruts. “It's not very helpful. But I think a change in their typical symptoms is what should be considered as an alarm.”
What Is Colorectal Cancer Screening?
The most common and dependable way to screen for colorectal cancer is a colonoscopy. During a colonoscopy, a patient is put under anesthesia, and a doctor uses a flexible tube with a camera on the end to look at the full length of the colon and rectum. Through this procedure, doctors can identify and remove pre-cancerous lesions called polyps. Colonoscopies tend to last between one and two hours.
For the general population, The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that colorectal screening begin at 45-years-old. Because of the increased risk for people with cystic fibrosis, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation advises beginning at 40. People with cystic fibrosis who have had a solid organ transplant are encouraged to get screened starting at age 30.
In addition to getting colonoscopies earlier, cystic fibrosis patients should be screened more frequently–every 5 years instead of 10. In the case of cystic fibrosis patients who have received organ transplants, the recommendation is every 3 years. The reason for this difference is that people who receive organ transplants take immune-suppressant drugs. “When a tumor forms, your immune system may actually detect that as something new and attack it,” Dr. Khoruts explained. “That's what normally happens.” But when somebody undergoes an organ transplant and begins taking immune-suppressant drugs, their immune surveillance system is weakened, leaving them more vulnerable to tumors.
Dr. Khoruts noted that the preparation for a colonoscopy exam is also much more intense for people living with cystic fibrosis than the general population. “The mucus in the cystic fibrosis patient's digestive system is very thick, and it's difficult to clean out the colon adequately,” he said.
Above all, Dr. Khoruts warned, “There are caveats to all of this.” The most important recommendation for cystic fibrosis patients getting screened for colorectal cancer is, “Decisions about screeningboth initiation and frequencyshould be discussed with a main provider, which usually is a lung doctor,” said Dr. Khoruts. “Reason being that cystic fibrosis is a very complex multi-system disease, and patients have many other problems–so you have to put them into context of whatever is going on with the patient.”
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