You are at higher risk for getting colon cancer if a family member had the disease. You're also at a higher than normal risk if you've had precancerous polyps removed from your colon. Otherwise, the danger is slightly higher among men than women and the risk increases with age for both. Symptoms to watch out for:
- Stomach pains
- Rectal bleeding or bright red blood in the stool
- Stringy stools
- Alternating bouts of diarrhea and constipation or persistent problems with either one
- Frequent queasiness, gas pains or increased flatulence
- Unexpected weight loss
Luckily, there's a lot you can do to reduce your risk:
- Eat at least five servings of vegetables, fruits and whole grains a day to get plenty of fiber, calcium and folic acid
- Limit consumption of red meat and saturated fat
- Exercise for at least a half hour five days a week
- Quit smoking and avoid alcohol
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Take aspirin — one or two baby aspirins a day significantly reduce risk of colorectal cancer
Once you hit 50, the American Cancer Society recommends having an annual examination of a stool sample for hidden blood, plus a sigmoidoscopy every five years. If you don't have these tests regularly, the Cancer Society recommends a colonoscopy every 10 years.