Early screening helped Boston woman survive colon cancer
BOSTON - The excruciating aches and pains on Shanda Foster's right abdomen led the Boston woman to the doctor's office in 2013 for her first colonoscopy.
"I realized I couldn't eat any more," Foster said. "It was a literal blockage I had on my side."
She was in her early 30s, but her doctor wanted to rule out colon cancer - the same illness that "Cheers" actress Kirstie Alley was diagnosed with not long after it ultimately claimed her life at 71.
"It's very important to get screening very early on," said Tufts Medical Center's chief colon and rectal surgeon, Dr. Lilian Chen.
She suggests that people begin screenings at age 45 since most patients won't show symptoms right away.
"If you look at the total number of colon cancers that are happening, it's actually starting to decline because of the great screening that we have. However, in t the younger patient population - under 50 - is rising at about 2%," Dr Chen explained. "Some of this is probably environmental; some of this is probably the diet that we eat. We're not quite sure."
A screening saved Foster's life in 2013 when she learned those aches were indeed signs of stage one colon cancer.
"If I hadn't gotten that, the tumor would've grown, and we wouldn't know at which rate it grows," she said. "They removed about 30% of my colon after that."
Now, 10 years cancer-free, Foster hopes to break the stigma and fear around colonoscopies.
"It's really not that bad. It's painless. You go in and then once it's done, it's done."
She's urging adults to get tested before it's too late.
Dr. Chen said, "I'm really hoping people are taking notice and getting detected."