Community Health & Wellness

Wellness Wednesday | March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month — Here’s what you need to know

Posted on March 12th, 2025 By: Scot Fleshman

March is the time of changing seasons, blooming flowers, and colorectal cancer awareness. In fact, if you are 45 or older, your primary care provider will recommend that you start receiving regular screening tests for colorectal cancer. Since colon cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States, you would be wise to follow your primary care provider’s advice and book that screening. The good news is that you can help to reduce your risks by making lifestyle changes and taking advantage of preventative care.

What do these changes and types of care include?

Lifestyle changes

Diet changes

Ensure you are eating a varied diet that includes high-fiber foods like whole grains and produce; healthy fats like avocado, salmon, nuts, and olive oil; and reducing your intake of highly processed and fried foods.

Exercise

Regular exercise that gets your heart rate up improves your heart health and reduces your risk of diseases like colon cancer. Exercise also helps to maintain a healthy weight, further reducing your risk of many types of cancer, including colorectal cancer. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise daily and speak with your primary care provider for a reasonable weight loss or management approach.

Healthy habits

Smoking increases your risk of many diseases, so if you want to reduce that risk, stop smoking. There are many different approaches to help with smoking cessation, and your primary care provider can help find the right one for you. If you drink alcohol, be aware of keeping it within the recommended ranges. For men, that is no more than two drinks per day, and one drink per day for women.

Preventative care

Symptoms of colon cancer don’t usually appear until the disease has progressed. It’s vital to utilize screening tests suggested by your primary care provider to catch signs of the disease early on.

The most common screening test for colon cancer is a colonoscopy. If, during the procedure, polyps (growths attached to the wall of the colon) are found, then your specialist can remove them and take samples of tissue for further testing. This colon cancer screening option is typically recommended for those over the age of 45; however, if you have additional risk factors like family history of the disease, you will be recommended to have the test completed earlier.

Another relatively new colorectal screening option is a “stool DNA test called Cologuard.” It’s been developed for people over 50 who have a normal risk of developing colon cancer to detect “blood or DNA changes in cells that suggest the presence of colorectal cancer or precancerous conditions.” This screening option can also be completed in the privacy of your own home. However, it may not be the right option for everyone.

When to speak to your health care provider

If you are aware of a family history of colon cancer, then share this information with your primary care provider so they can help you access the necessary screening tests and work with you on preventative measures. No matter your family history, if you notice these symptoms, please book an appointment with your primary health care provider to address them right away:

Changes in bowel movements, like frequent constipation or diarrhea.
Presence of blood in the stool or rectal bleeding.
Continuous abdominal pain, bloating, or cramping.
A lingering sensation of incomplete bowel emptying.
Constant fatigue or weakness.
Unexpected weight loss without a clear cause.

The Wellness Wednesday column is written by Scot Fleshman, an advanced registered nurse practitioner and board-certified family nurse practitioner. Fleshman and his wife, Jessica Hopkins, own Gig Harbor Primary Care.