Jason's Story
About Colorectal Cancer Care and Screening at Riverview Health
Colorectal cancer ranks as the second most common cause of cancer death in the United States, yet it is also among the most preventable — and often curable when found early, as Jason's experience shows. Screening is advised for adults from age 45 through 75, and sooner for anyone with a parent or sibling who had colon cancer: those patients should begin at age 40, or ten years before the age at which their relative was diagnosed. Risk runs slightly higher for men than for women, and incidence and mortality are disproportionately high among Black Americans, which makes regular screening especially important.
The cornerstone of prevention is the colonoscopy, an exam in which a flexible, lighted tube with a tiny camera lets a Riverview Health gastroenterologist inspect the entire colon and remove any polyps before they can turn cancerous. The test is performed with sedation after a bowel preparation, and for most adults the American Cancer Society suggests repeating it only once every ten years. Appointments can be scheduled by calling 317.214.5468, option 2.
When a diagnosis does come, the Riverview Health Cancer Center gathers oncologists, surgeons, radiologists and pathologists under one roof, using tools such as PET/CT imaging for accurate staging and intensity-modulated radiation therapy that targets tumors while sparing healthy tissue — all supported by a hematology and oncology partnership with Hematology Oncology of Indiana.