#LowerCancerRisk #ColorectalCancer
#ActiveBalancedLifestyle #CANSAscreening #CANSAcares

CANSA in partnership with The South African Colorectal Society (SACRS) launched its Colorectal Awareness and Support Programme on World Health Day, 7 April 2021.

The Programme aims to:

• Help educate the public to lower risk of colorectal cancer
• Help people recognise the symptoms of colorectal cancer
• Increase knowledge around screening options to facilitate early detection
• Help cancer patients cope better with diagnosis and treatment by providing support materials to help them understand and access public / private health support services, pain management, stoma products and care
• CANSA and the SACRS will also be advocating with policy makers for a National Colorectal Cancer Policy (the policy should promote the rights of colorectal cancer patients, guide population based screening and public health services related to risk reduction, treatment, care, support and control of colorectal cancer).

Stoma Support

Many colorectal cancer patients have a portion of their bowel and / or colon removed and end up with a permanent stoma. A stoma is an opening on the abdomen that can be connected to the digestive or urinary system to allow waste to be diverted from the body. It can take a while for a patient to adapt to living with a stoma, so it’s important to seek support from CANSA.

CANSA’s stoma service has an excellent offering of stoma products and accessories and provides patient support. We recently introduced our CANSA Tele Stoma Support Service where online consultations for stoma patients and their families are offered to assist with challenges or stoma queries.

A stoma patient, living in a remote area, recently responded with thanks, after being assisted through the CANSA Tele Stoma Service with regards to changing the stoma bag and being given advice with regards to treatment of side effects: “You really helped me because I didn’t know anything, and the consultation really helped me so much. And now I know at least how to do something and if I need help, I can ask you. Now I have a clue what to do when I have a rash.”

Did You Know?

• Colorectal cancer in its early stages shows no symptoms. It is often diagnosed late when at a more advanced stage or it has spread to other parts of the body.
•  It is therefore important to be aware of family history and to take advantage of screening for colorectal cancer before symptoms are experienced, and not to wait until experiencing discomfort.
• Colorectal cancer in SA is one of the top cancers among men and women. It’s the 2nd most common cancer among men and the 3rd most common cancer among women (National Cancer Registry 2017).

Mimi Neumann: “My message as a stage 4 colorectal cancer patient is to insist on a colonoscopy if you suffer recurrent irritable bowel symptoms, or if there is a close relative suffering from colon cancer.” (cancer Survivor)

Donna Bessenger: “Don’t ignore simple things like constipation. Monitor your bowel movements. I was healthy and then had constipation. The next thing I knew I had stage 4 rectal cancer.” (cancer Survivor)

Waheebah Mustapha Jordaan: “My bowel movements were normal, but I had severe abdominal pain for two months, before being diagnosed with stage 4 colorectal cancer.” (cancer Survivor)

Heather Richards: “I have colon cancer stage 4. Looking back I had 2 symptoms: a change in colour of stool and excessive tiredness about 3 weeks before diagnosis. No pain at all. I put it down to anxiety and stress.” (cancer Survivor)

Carima Adams: I am a colorectal survivor who was diagnosed at 28, late stage 3. I experienced symptoms but the doctors kept misdiagnosing me. Eventually I went straight to a specialist who picked it up. If you find any blood or mucous in your stools go to a GP or specialist immediately.” (cancer Survivor)

Lifestyle

Living a balanced lifestyle which includes eating and drinking smart, getting enough physical activity, and avoiding known carcinogens can help lower the risk of colorectal cancer.

CANSA offers an online Lifestyle Risk Assessment Tool, which helps individuals identify lifestyle factors which could increase cancer risk, and then provides recommendations on how to change behaviour to lower cancer risk. This can also be done at CANSA Care Centres.

Identifying the presence of blood in the stool, can help detect colorectal cancer early. CANSA provides Faecal Occult at home stool tests (R100), which can be done at home. If the test is positive (visible red line on test strip) for the presence of blood in the stool, CANSA provides a referral letter to request a colonoscopy.

A colonoscopy in symptomatic patients or patients over the age of 50 can detect precancerous polyps in the colon. If these polyps are removed the chance of developing colorectal cancer can be dramatically reduced. If there is a family history of colorectal cancer a colonoscopy may be requested at a younger age.

Symptoms

It is important to contact CANSA or go to a local clinic or doctor to investigate symptoms. Symptoms of colorectal cancer might present as:

• a persistent change in bowel habits (including diarrhoea or constipation or a change in consistency of stools);
• rectal bleeding or blood in stools;
• persistent abdominal discomfort (cramps, gas or pain not related to diet);
• a feeling that the bowel does not completely empty;
• weakness or fatigue;
• or unexplained weight loss.