Page 12 - MidWeek - March 29, 2023

12 MIDWEEK MARCH 29, 2023
the ages of 20 and 54.
Here, Dr. Timothy Swindoll —
One myth is that if you have co- lon cancer you have to have a co- lostomy — a bag attached to your abdomen to collect your waste af- ter surgery. While this is certainly a possibility, more often than not you can use the toilet normally after colon cancer treatment. I have had patients avoid getting a colonoscopy because they thought an ostomy was their only option.
I think the main thing I would like to address is the embarrass- ment surrounding the conditions we treat. People don’t like to talk about bowel movements. They don’t like other people to see their butts. Because of this, they don’t talk about bothersome symptoms such as fecal incontinence, rectal bleeding, etc.
a doctor of osteopathic medicine and Hawai‘i Pacific Health chief of gastroenterology — discusses in detail the diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer.
We treat a number of other con- ditions as well. One of the most common is heartburn, also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or acid reflux.
If your mother, father, brother or sister have colon cancer, especially before the age of 60, you should have your colonoscopy at age 40 or 10 years prior to the age of their diagnosis, whichever is younger.
Is there anything else you’ d like to add?
What do you do as a gastroen- terologist?
One condition we treat that of- ten patients are embarrassed to ask about is fecal incontinence and problems with bowel movements. There are excellent tests and treat- ments —non-surgical — for this condition. So, do not be afraid to ask your primary care physician or gastroenterologist about this.
What are the symptoms of col- orectal cancer?
How key is early diagnosis to sur- viving colorectal cancer?
As a gastroenterologist, I diag- nose and treat problems with the in- testinal tract from the esophagus to the anus. I also diagnose and treat disorders of the liver and pancreas. In addition to treating conditions in these areas, I am also dedicated to cancer prevention — specifically colon cancer prevention.
Recently, the screening guide- lines for colorectal cancer changed. What do people need to know about this?
Often colon cancer is silent, meaning there are no visible symp- toms, which is why colon cancer prevention such as colonoscopies are so important. Some signs and symptoms of colon cancer, how- ever, include blood in the stool, a change in bowel habits and low blood counts, especially if there is low iron level in the blood. It is important to note that these symp- toms don’t necessarily mean you have colon cancer but they do need to be evaluated by your physician.
Colon cancer is curable if it is found at an early stage — stages 1,2or3—andpeoplewhohave had colon cancer can lead a normal life. Stage 4 is treatable and many patients can live over a decade with a good quality of life. The earlier the stage, the easier the treatment.
If we can be more open and honest about these things, we can improve peoples’ quality of lives and we can save lives. I guarantee there is little most people can say to shock or embarrass physicians like myself.
What types of conditions do you typically see and what are the standard treatments?
Treatment options have im- proved over the years and, while no treatment is easy, they certainly are not as toxic as they have been in the past. In fact, sometimes removing a cancerous polyp during a colonos-
One of the main goals as a gas- troenterologist isn’t to treat a con-
This is an important change to note. The recommended age to be-
DR. TIMOTHY SWINDOLL, DO, gastroenterologist at Straub Medical Center
M arch marks Colorec- tal Cancer Awareness Month. While the number of people overall being diagnosed with colorectal cancer is decreasing in the United States, there recently has been an increase of cases in younger people between
Early Detection Of Cancer Is Key
Dr. Timothy Swindoll speaks with a patient.
PHOTOS COURTESY HAWAI‘I PACIFIC HEALTH
dition but to prevent a condition. Colon cancer is the third leading cancer in the United States and is preventable. We do a procedure called a colonoscopy that can re- move precancerous growths called colon polyps before they become cancer. There are other tests to screen for colon cancer — CT scans and stool-based testing — and we find whichever option is best for our patient.
gin getting a screening colonosco- py just recently changed to 45 years instead of 50. Over the last decade, we have seen a noticeable increase in young people with colon cancer. No one really knows why this is happening. Once you undergo your first colonoscopy, it becomes an ongoing screening to help detect colon cancer early.
copy is curative of the colon cancer without any further treatment.
Regular screenings help keep you
HEALTHIER.
Regular screenings starting at age 45 are the key to preventing colorectal cancer. Primary care physicians on our team can coordinate your screenings with the right experts to help keep you healthier.
HawaiiPacificHealth.org/PrimaryCare