Talk about your poop, local doctor says it could save your life

Posted: Mar 14, 2024 / 10:39 AM EDT

Updated: Mar 15, 2024 / 04:32 PM EDT

Gastroenterologist Dr. Jamila Wynter was LIVE at the Digital Desk. Watch in the video player on this page.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) – This year, more than 40,000 people in Virginia are expected to be diagnosed with colon cancer according to the American Cancer Society.

March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Colon cancer can also be referred to as colorectal cancer, noting cancer that begins in the colon or rectum.

A local doctor spoke to Digital Host Sarah Goode to share what the community needs to know. Watch the Digital Desk livestream in the video player on this page.

Dr. Jamila S. Wynter is a gastroenterologist at Riverside Gastroenterology Specialists in Newport News and Hampton.

Colon cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide, and one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths according to the World Health Organization.

Over the past few years, the trend has shown younger adults are being diagnosed at higher rates. And, in 2021, the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force changed their screening recommendation for colorectal cancer from adults aged 50 years old to 45 years old.

What is colorectal cancer? It is a disease where cells in the colon or rectum grow out of control, according to the CDC.

Symptoms include stomach pains, change in bowel habits (ie. loose stool, constipation or anything abnormal for you) and bleeding.

“There’s a big stigma about talking about your poop,” Wynter said. “When I see patients in my clinic I try to normalize the conversation. It’s just like talking about sleep habits or mental health.”

Personal or family history, inflammatory bowel disease and lifestyle factors can all lead to an increased risk. Men do have a higher risk for getting colon cancer.

Different races and ethnicities are also disproportionately affected. Wynter shared more about the disparities and risks in the clip, below.

People should speak to their doctor to find out if they have increased risk, and find the best time to begin screening and tests. For example, in the case of those with family history, the screening age would be lower.

Colorectal cancer screenings are recommended by the Task Force between the ages of 45 and 75. For adults, a colonoscopy during this time is recommended every 10 years if they do not have an increased risk.

Wynter said she would not be surprised if the screening age were to move earlier in coming years, based on future data.

Colonoscopies are important to catch cancer but also benign growths, said Wynter. She discussed finding polyps during the procedure. Watch the clip in the video player below.

“It’s very important to do a testing like a colonoscopy where we can go in, do direct visualization and we can actually remove the polyps in real time,” Wynter said. “If we can remove the polyps that means they can no longer turn into cancer down the road”.

Calling colonoscopies “the gold standard” for cancer screening, Wynter said the reason it is the preferred modality because it helps prevent colon cancer and also diagnose it. That’s the difference between blood or stool based testing.

On Wednesday, the AP reported about a blood test for colon cancer that performed well in a study.

“It’s not a replacement, it’s an adjunct,” Wynter said. “Right, if it helps to support the diagnosis of colon cancer, but in no means should it replace a screening tool like the colonoscopy.”

There is still a lot unknown about cancers, in particular colon cancer according to Wynter.

“There are patients that I have that are healthy, that are young, that don’t have these identifiable risk factors, who have very advanced polyps or a new diagnosis of colon cancer,” Wynter said.

She encourages the community to keep bringing colon cancer into the conversation, understand your body, and get tested.

Wynter gave tips for people to work on risk factors that are in their control: