ELK GROVE, Calif. — Colon cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in the United States. In recent years, the American Cancer Society lowered the recommended age of screening from 50 to 45 due to the rise in cases among middle-aged people.
Elk Grove resident Mike Porter said if he would have gotten his test five years earlier, it could have made a huge difference. When he first got his fecal immunochemical test or FIT from his doctor, he put the test aside. His father was battling cancer at the time and it slipped his mind to go back and complete it. A FIT allows you to submit a stool sample from home.
He stumbled upon it a year later and after he sent it in, he found out he needed further testing in the form of a colonoscopy.
"I woke up and my wife said the doctor has something to tell you," Porter said.
He then would undergo 14 months of treatment. He said it was brutal but necessary.
"I have a lot of side effects from the treatment for my cancer but my favorite side effect is I'm still alive," Porter said.
That was nine years ago, Porter is now in remission. He found a lot of support through the Colon Cancer Alliance where he actively participates to raise awareness so others don't have to endure what he did.
March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. In honor of that Kaiser Permanente Roseville put up an inflatable colon in its offices to encourage passersby to know the signs and test early.
"When you turn 45, and you get a stool kit in the mail, turn it in. I feel like that's the best gift you can get on your birthday. Give yourself a gift of health and life," Chief of Gastroenterology for Kaiser Permanente Roseville and Sacramento Dr. Chhaya Hasyagar said.
She said people should look out for bleeding, bowel changes, and weight loss. The unfortunate truth is, once you have those symptoms, it typically means cancer has advanced.
The 2023 Sacramento Walk to End Colon Cancer is April 15. You can find more information about it and the disease on this website.
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