Title of Section | Summary of content |
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Introduction | • American Cancer Society (ACS) recommends individualized decision making for older adults age 75 and over. • This decision aid will help you think about whether colorectal cancer screening is the right choice for you. |
Information about Colon Cancer Screening | • Colorectal cancer screening tests look for colon cancer before you have symptoms. |
Two Main Types of Tests that Screen for Colon Cancer | • Colonoscopy is a procedure that requires preparation and occurs at the doctor's office. • Stool cards can be done at home and returned to the doctor's office. Those with cards positive for blood will need to have a colonoscopy. |
Treatments People Undergo if Colon Cancer is Found | • Most people with invasive colon cancer will need surgery. • Some people may need chemotherapy after surgery. |
Colon Cancer Screening Recommendations Are Different for Older Adults | • As adults get older they are more likely to encounter numerous health problems that could affect their life expectancy. • We are not sure whether screening is beneficial for those 75 years and older. • That is why the ACS recommends older adults decide about colorectal cancer screening for themselves. |
Why do Older Adults Need to Decide for Themselves about Colon Cancer Screening? | • The chances of getting a serious illness go up with increased age. Older adults are also more likely to develop colon cancer. Life expectancies for older adults vary with the number of serious health problems. • In most cases colon cancer grows slowly. If someone develops colon cancer today he may not have any problems for 5-10 years. • Colon cancer screening will not help all older people. A person's life expectancy can be influenced by their current health condition. • Older adults must deal with competing causes of death. Other health problems may lead to death before colon cancer. • There is uncertainty about who will benefit. No one can know how long any individual will live. |
Magnitude of potential benefit from colon cancer screening | • One life is extended for every 1000 people who are screened. |
Risks to Consider in Making Your Decision about Colon Cancer Screening | • Pictograph (Figure 1) compares the risk of dying from heart disease, stroke or colon cancer over 10 years. • Pictograph (Figure 2) compares the risk of having a complication (bleeding, perforation or death) after the first 30 days of a colonoscopy. |
Balancing the Benefits and Risks of Colonoscopy in People age 75 and Older | • Figure 3 compares how a person's health can influence the balance between the benefits and risks of colon cancer screening. |