Fact:At least 6 out of every 10 deaths from colorectal cancer could be prevented if all men and women aged 50 years or older were screened routinely.

Fact:The American Cancer Society estimated that in 2011 about 141,210 people were diagnosed with colorectal cancer in the US.

Fact:The American Cancer Society estimated that in 2011 about 49,380 people died of colorectal cancer in the US.

Fact:Colorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer.

Fact:Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in both men and women in the US.

Fact:Overall, 90% of new cases and 94% of deaths occur in individuals 50 and older.

Fact:Colorectal cancer incidence and mortality rates are highest in African American men and women.

Fact:One of the most consistently reported relationships between colon cancer risk and behavior is the protective effect of physical activity.

Fact:The goals of screening for colorectal cancer are the prevention of cancer through the detection and removal of precancerous growths and the diagnosis of cancers at an early stage.

Diseases

Anemia (Iron Deficiency)

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Iron deficiency anemia is a common type of anemia (a condition in which blood lacks adequate healthy red blood cells) and can be a signal of blood loss through the intestines or of colon cancer.

Red blood cells carry oxygen to the body's tissues. As the name implies, iron deficiency anemia is due to insufficient iron. Without enough iron, your body can't produce enough hemoglobin, a substance in red blood cells that enables them to carry oxygen. As a result, iron deficiency anemia may leave you tired and short of breath.

Symptoms
Initially, iron deficiency anemia can be so mild that it goes unnoticed. But as the body becomes more deficient in iron and anemia worsens, the signs and symptoms intensify.

Iron deficiency anemia symptoms may include:

Extreme fatigue
Pale skin
Weakness
Shortness of breath
Headache
Dizziness or lightheadedness
Cold hands and feet
Irritability
Inflammation or soreness of your tongue
Brittle nails
Fast heartbeat
Unusual cravings for non-nutritive substances, such as ice, dirt or starch
Poor appetite, especially in infants and children with iron deficiency anemia
An uncomfortable tingling or crawling feeling in your legs (restless legs syndrome)

Treatment
If you suffer from iron deficiency, your physician may recommend starting an oral iron preparation. Oral iron can often cause significant constipation. For patients who are unable to tolerate oral iron preparations, intravenous infusion of iron is available, as this does not cause constipation.

Sometimes, additional treatments for iron deficiency anemia are necessary, especially if you're bleeding internally.

Why have I been asked to see a Gastroenterologist?
Your primary care physician will likely be the first person to recognize iron deficiency anemia on blood tests and will likely refer you to a gastroenterologist for consultation. This consultation is made in order to rule out colon cancer and internal bleeding as a cause of the iron deficiency anemia. A colonoscopy and upper endoscopy (EGD) are the tests of choice to rule out common sources of iron deficiency anemia in the gastrointestinal tract. If both of these studies do not reveal a source, the small intestine must be examined for tumors and angiodysplasias. Angiodysplasias are tiny areas where an artery and vein meet irregularly near the surface of the lining of the bowel wall, which can cause blood loss that is invisible and slow or brisk. This examination is done with small bowel video capsule endoscopy. If angiodysplasias are noted in the small bowel, a special procedure, small bowel balloon enteroscopy, may be recommended.